A lack of maintenance at the recently opened Vandiyur Park has led to destroyed and unusable toilet facilities
Because there are very few toilets in the area, with the closest free toilet being at Periyar bus terminus, “Charging Rs 10 to use the washroom only works outside the railway junction,.
B Selvin, a passenger at the junction, said the fee was excessive, especially as there were few alternatives nearby. People in a rush have no choice but to pay the fee,” he said. Selvin said some people use the washrooms as smoking zones and that liquor bottles, cigarette packs, food waste and plastic wrappers are often found inside. Visitors said the available pay-and-use toilets were not properly marked with signage, forcing them to walk around in search of facilities. “The SBM toilets have been closed for almost two weeks for maintenance,” said Santosh, a nearby vendor. He said the facilities had been in need of repairs for several months and hoped they would now be properly maintained.
The situation around Madurai Railway Junction is particularly poor. Several Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) toilets have been demolished as part of the station renovation project. However, paying for the facility does not guarantee cleanliness. Around the Meenakshi Sundareswarar temple, almost all SBM toilets have been closed for maintenance.
Social activist VP Manikandan said the shortage of public toilets could worsen the problem, particularly with pilgrims expected to visit temples across Madurai in the coming months. “There needs to be a focused push to construct toilet complexes with disability friendly features as well as bathing options for the people,” he said, stressing the need for free, well-maintained and hygienic facilities to encourage people to use them. Residents and visitors said washrooms were often locked despite the park being open to the public. D Raghavan, president of the Gomathipuram Resident’s Welfare Association, said the issue was prevalent in several parks across the city. This is a prevailing issue in many parks across the city as well,” he said.
Even recently renovated public spaces such as Vandiyur Park are facing similar problems. “Even though the park is open, washrooms remain locked and inaccessible to the public at many times throughout the day.