Just when fading urban sanitation under the Swachh Bharat Mission is prompting cities to come up with new initiatives, such as in Mumbai’s Dharavi, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has launched an initiative to put up modernised toilets near toll plazas. It is no secret that the shiny public toilets installed in many cities under the SBM’s urban component over the years have been quietly dismantled and, in many cases, replaced by old-style facilities put up by local bodies.

The absence of accessible urinals, a major lacuna for service professionals and gig workers who are out in the field throughout the day, has turned the clock back on sanitation. Secluded corners and parked vehicles provide the privacy many people look for along quiet streets when........

© Free Press Journal