Wed Jul 02 20:14:45 UTC 2025: **Summary:**

The Delhi High Court has strongly criticized civic authorities, including MCD, DDA, and NDMC, for their negligence in maintaining public toilets in Delhi. This criticism came during a hearing of a public interest litigation filed by an NGO seeking improved sanitation and hygiene in public restrooms. The court emphasized the authorities’ “complete apathy and insensitivity,” highlighted the specific hardships faced by women, and ordered them to develop a comprehensive plan for keeping public toilets clean and functional based on expert recommendations.

**News Article:**

**Delhi High Court Slams Civic Bodies for Deplorable State of Public Toilets**

**New Delhi, July 3, 2025** – The Delhi High Court has issued a scathing rebuke to municipal authorities, including the MCD, DDA, and NDMC, for their gross negligence in maintaining public toilets throughout the city. A bench comprising Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela expressed its dismay at the “complete apathy and insensitivity” displayed by these bodies in fulfilling their fundamental responsibility to provide adequate public conveniences.

The court’s remarks came during a hearing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by NGO Jan Sewa Welfare Society, which sought directions to ensure hygienic public toilets with clean water and electricity are available across the Capital. Shocked by photos presented as evidence, the court asserted, “They need not be reminded repeatedly of their primary responsibility of providing adequate public conveniences under law.”

The court further emphasized that the poor condition of these facilities disproportionately affects women, compounding existing challenges. “Given such a state of public utilities available in the city, the problems being faced by women get compounded by obvious reasons,” the court stated.

In response, the High Court has ordered the MCD, NDMC, and DDA to formulate a comprehensive plan, grounded in expert study, to ensure the cleanliness and functionality of public toilets. This plan must include concrete recommendations to guarantee that these essential public services remain usable for all citizens. The court underscored that these authorities operate on public funds and have a duty to serve the general populace effectively. The case highlights ongoing concerns about sanitation and public health infrastructure in the nation’s capital.

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