Bengaluru has one public toilet for up to 30,000 people: Survey
Bengaluru has only 800-900 public toilets, roughly one for every 25,000 to 30,000 residents, according to a public toilet audit released by the Bangalore Political Action Committee.
Bengaluru, a city of more than 1.4 crore people, has only around 800 to 900 public toilets, or roughly one toilet for every 25,000 to 30,000 people, according to a public toilet audit report released by voluntary organisation Bangalore Political Action Committee on Wednesday. The report said the city has grown into a global city, but its public sanitation infrastructure has not kept pace.
The audit found major gaps in functionality, cleanliness, safety and accessibility across public toilets in the city. Of the 142 public toilets audited across Central, North, South and West Bengaluru, 37, or 26 per cent, were completely non-functional, while only six toilets, or 4.2 per cent, were rated 'Very Clean'.
The report said that while 479 public toilets are officially listed under the Greater Bengaluru Authority, the city has only 800-900 public toilets in all. The audit was carried out during April and May 2026 by B.PAC's civic leaders and its student volunteers unit, B.CLIP. It assessed public sanitation infrastructure with a focus on functionality, hygiene, accessibility, safety and user experience.
According to the findings, 58 per cent of the toilets had a persistent foul odour, and only 56 per cent were adequately lit, which the report said raised significant safety concerns, especially for women. Only nine toilets had ramps, making nearly 94 per cent inaccessible to persons with disabilities. Water was available in only around 40 per cent of the functional toilets, while none had soap dispensers or dustbins.
B.PAC also said only 15 per cent of caretakers were women. Contractor information and user charges were largely absent, which it said limited public accountability. The organisation said, "Bengaluru's sanitation challenge is no longer merely about constructing toilets – it is about ensuring that existing facilities remain functional, safe, inclusive and well maintained."
The organisation recommended a 30-day emergency repair campaign to restore all non-functional public toilets and the creation of a single Public Toilet Management Cell under the Greater Bengaluru Authority for unified planning, monitoring and maintenance. It also asked civic authorities to move from 'Build-Only' contracts to five-year Operate and Maintain contracts, with strict performance monitoring and contract termination for poor maintenance.
B.PAC asked the Greater Bengaluru Authority to ensure uninterrupted water supply, lighting, soap dispensers, dustbins and regular maintenance in every public toilet. It also called for women-friendly and gender-inclusive public toilets, including She-Toilets and transgender-inclusive facilities, and recommended involving Residents Welfare Associations, non-government organisations and citizen groups in monitoring public toilets.
B.CLIP head Raghavendra Poojari H S urged the state government and the Greater Bengaluru Authority to build more than 1,000 modern, user-friendly, inclusive and well-maintained public toilets across Bengaluru through the authority and the Public-Private Partnership model. He also appealed for priority to be given to bus stations, metro stations, markets, parks, tourist destinations, construction sites and other high-footfall areas.
B.PAC CEO Revathi Ashok said that if Bengaluru aspires to be a global city, it cannot afford to overlook these basic civic necessities. Overall, the report said Bengaluru's public toilet network remains far short of the city's needs in both numbers and upkeep.
Bengaluru, a city of more than 1.4 crore people, has only around 800 to 900 public toilets, or roughly one toilet for every 25,000 to 30,000 people, according to a public toilet audit report released by voluntary organisation Bangalore Political Action Committee on Wednesday. The report said the city has grown into a global city, but its public sanitation infrastructure has not kept pace.
The audit found major gaps in functionality, cleanliness, safety and accessibility across public toilets in the city. Of the 142 public toilets audited across Central, North, South and West Bengaluru, 37, or 26 per cent, were completely non-functional, while only six toilets, or 4.2 per cent, were rated 'Very Clean'.
The report said that while 479 public toilets are officially listed under the Greater Bengaluru Authority, the city has only 800-900 public toilets in all. The audit was carried out during April and May 2026 by B.PAC's civic leaders and its student volunteers unit, B.CLIP. It assessed public sanitation infrastructure with a focus on functionality, hygiene, accessibility, safety and user experience.
According to the findings, 58 per cent of the toilets had a persistent foul odour, and only 56 per cent were adequately lit, which the report said raised significant safety concerns, especially for women. Only nine toilets had ramps, making nearly 94 per cent inaccessible to persons with disabilities. Water was available in only around 40 per cent of the functional toilets, while none had soap dispensers or dustbins.
B.PAC also said only 15 per cent of caretakers were women. Contractor information and user charges were largely absent, which it said limited public accountability. The organisation said, "Bengaluru's sanitation challenge is no longer merely about constructing toilets – it is about ensuring that existing facilities remain functional, safe, inclusive and well maintained."
The organisation recommended a 30-day emergency repair campaign to restore all non-functional public toilets and the creation of a single Public Toilet Management Cell under the Greater Bengaluru Authority for unified planning, monitoring and maintenance. It also asked civic authorities to move from 'Build-Only' contracts to five-year Operate and Maintain contracts, with strict performance monitoring and contract termination for poor maintenance.
B.PAC asked the Greater Bengaluru Authority to ensure uninterrupted water supply, lighting, soap dispensers, dustbins and regular maintenance in every public toilet. It also called for women-friendly and gender-inclusive public toilets, including She-Toilets and transgender-inclusive facilities, and recommended involving Residents Welfare Associations, non-government organisations and citizen groups in monitoring public toilets.
B.CLIP head Raghavendra Poojari H S urged the state government and the Greater Bengaluru Authority to build more than 1,000 modern, user-friendly, inclusive and well-maintained public toilets across Bengaluru through the authority and the Public-Private Partnership model. He also appealed for priority to be given to bus stations, metro stations, markets, parks, tourist destinations, construction sites and other high-footfall areas.
B.PAC CEO Revathi Ashok said that if Bengaluru aspires to be a global city, it cannot afford to overlook these basic civic necessities. Overall, the report said Bengaluru's public toilet network remains far short of the city's needs in both numbers and upkeep.
Bengaluru, a city of more than 1.4 crore people, has only around 800 to 900 public toilets, or roughly one toilet for every 25,000 to 30,000 people, according to a public toilet audit report released by voluntary organisation Bangalore Political Action Committee on Wednesday. The report said the city has grown into a global city, but its public sanitation infrastructure has not kept pace.
The audit found major gaps in functionality, cleanliness, safety and accessibility across public toilets in the city. Of the 142 public toilets audited across Central, North, South and West Bengaluru, 37, or 26 per cent, were completely non-functional, while only six toilets, or 4.2 per cent, were rated 'Very Clean'.
The report said that while 479 public toilets are officially listed under the Greater Bengaluru Authority, the city has only 800-900 public toilets in all. The audit was carried out during April and May 2026 by B.PAC's civic leaders and its student volunteers unit, B.CLIP. It assessed public sanitation infrastructure with a focus on functionality, hygiene, accessibility, safety and user experience.
According to the findings, 58 per cent of the toilets had a persistent foul odour, and only 56 per cent were adequately lit, which the report said raised significant safety concerns, especially for women. Only nine toilets had ramps, making nearly 94 per cent inaccessible to persons with disabilities. Water was available in only around 40 per cent of the functional toilets, while none had soap dispensers or dustbins.
B.PAC also said only 15 per cent of caretakers were women. Contractor information and user charges were largely absent, which it said limited public accountability. The organisation said, "Bengaluru's sanitation challenge is no longer merely about constructing toilets – it is about ensuring that existing facilities remain functional, safe, inclusive and well maintained."
The organisation recommended a 30-day emergency repair campaign to restore all non-functional public toilets and the creation of a single Public Toilet Management Cell under the Greater Bengaluru Authority for unified planning, monitoring and maintenance. It also asked civic authorities to move from 'Build-Only' contracts to five-year Operate and Maintain contracts, with strict performance monitoring and contract termination for poor maintenance.
B.PAC asked the Greater Bengaluru Authority to ensure uninterrupted water supply, lighting, soap dispensers, dustbins and regular maintenance in every public toilet. It also called for women-friendly and gender-inclusive public toilets, including She-Toilets and transgender-inclusive facilities, and recommended involving Residents Welfare Associations, non-government organisations and citizen groups in monitoring public toilets.
B.CLIP head Raghavendra Poojari H S urged the state government and the Greater Bengaluru Authority to build more than 1,000 modern, user-friendly, inclusive and well-maintained public toilets across Bengaluru through the authority and the Public-Private Partnership model. He also appealed for priority to be given to bus stations, metro stations, markets, parks, tourist destinations, construction sites and other high-footfall areas.
B.PAC CEO Revathi Ashok said that if Bengaluru aspires to be a global city, it cannot afford to overlook these basic civic necessities. Overall, the report said Bengaluru's public toilet network remains far short of the city's needs in both numbers and upkeep.
