State of Indian Public Toilets

The state of Indian public toilets calls for significant improvements and advancements. India recently overtook China as the most populous nation in the world. With a massive population comes a need for better sanitation facilities. While India’s “Swachh Bharat Mission” has ignited the need for cleanliness in society, it still needs more momentum to bring positive results in the sanitation arena.

Open defecation is still a matter of concern for Indian society. Poor hygiene standards have been known to wreak havoc in our society and strain medical authorities. Moreover, maintaining hygiene is especially difficult in places like festivals, construction sites, large-scale events, and highly populated areas. Consequently, India is in dire need of sanitation solutions that can cater to people with different budgets and living standards. Nowadays, many companies and organizations have realized the challenges faced by our society and are actively working towards sanitation solutions. Releaf is also on a mission to provide affordable and practical sanitation solutions to the public.

Challenges of Public Lavatories in India:

1. Hygiene Standards: One of the most significant challenges is the poor hygiene standards in many public lavatories. Inadequate cleaning and sanitization can result in the proliferation of dangerous pathogens and bacteria, making these facilities unsafe for public use.
2. Design and Ventilation: Many public lavatories lack appropriate design with sufficient ventilation facilities. This lack of ventilation leads to unpleasant odors and suffocation inside these facilities, making them less inviting for users.
3. Construction Materials: Public lavatories are often constructed using materials like concrete and mortar, which can be challenging to clean thoroughly. Efficient cleaning is crucial to prevent the spread of viruses, bacteria, and pathogens, which is difficult to achieve with the materials commonly used.
4. Safety Concerns: Public lavatories often present safety concerns, especially for women and children. Harsh, broken, and unclean surfaces can pose risks, with children being particularly vulnerable to injuries. Women may also require more privacy and security when using public lavatories.
5. Open Defecation: The prevalence of open defecation remains a significant concern in India. The inadequate state of public lavatories in some areas contributes to this problem, as many people are reluctant to use these facilities due to their condition.

Role of Portable Lavatories:

Portable lavatories can offer a solution to many of these challenges. They come with several advantages:

1. Ease of Installation: Portable lavatories are lightweight and easy to install in various settings, including construction sites, concerts, festivals, events, and public places.
2. Diverse Models: Portable lavatories come in various models, such as Western toilets, Indian-style toilets, urinals, and shower stalls, catering to different needs and preferences.
3. Eco-Friendly Design: Modern portable lavatories are designed with environmental considerations in mind. They conserve water and offer better human waste disposal systems, making them more sustainable and eco-friendly.
4. Improved Hygiene: Portable lavatories are easier to clean and maintain, reducing the risk of bacterial infections. They also provide better ventilation, reducing unpleasant odors.
5. Accessibility: Portable lavatories can be designed to be more accessible for differently-abled citizens, addressing the needs of a broader demographic.
6. Privacy and Safety: Portable lavatories can offer increased privacy and security for women and children, addressing the safety concerns associated with traditional public lavatories.
7. Waste Management: Portable lavatories offer a more controlled and sanitary method of waste disposal, helping reduce open defecation and protect the environment.

Advantages of portable toilets

Portable toilets are designed with quality materials making them easier to transport to any area. They come in a variety of models like Western toilets, Indian-style toilets, urinals, shower stalls, etc. These toilets are durable, long-lasting, and lighter on the pockets making it convenient for construction site owners and event managers to provide an economical toilet for their workers and the general public.

Nowadays, modern portable toilets are designed keeping the environment in mind. As a result, such toilets provide added benefits like conserving water and offering better human waste disposal systems. In addition, such restrooms are also convenient for differently-abled citizens due to their design and build.

Portable toilets as a solution to Indian public toilet problems

Portable toilets can prove to be a boon for a country like India. Firstly, portable restrooms are sustainable and more eco-friendly than normal public toilets. Imagine the amount of water we can conserve if a large population like ours shifts to portable toilets. These toilets are economical and easy to maintain, making them ideal for public places.

What’s more convenient about portable restroom usage is reduced odor and better ventilation design. It makes it ideal for public usage. Cleaning and maintaining such toilets is also convenient when compared to traditional toilets. As portable restrooms are manufactured using premium raw materials, they are easy to clean and avoid bacterial infection.

Women, children, and differently-abled citizens can conveniently use these portable toilets without worrying about privacy or getting hurt. We can also prevent wastewater from entering our ecosystem and hampering the natural habitat of wildlife. Human waste disposal and open defecation can be easily dealt with with the help of portable lavatories.

Controlling the spread of harmful viruses and diseases has become crucial to maintaining the health of the population. History teaches us that public health issues can put a damper on our road to success and development. Loss of money and growth slowdown have been observed during pandemics and epidemics in the past. Hence, better hygiene standards and the use of portable toilets are the need of the hour.

Case studies of successful implementation of portable toilets in India

Recently, the municipal corporation of Mumbai took the initiative to launch portable toilets near Byculla station for women. As Mumbai is a populous city, the authorities realized the lack of space for building permanent toilets. As a result, the civic body decided to build portable toilets to improve sanitation facilities for women. This successful project is termed a ‘toilet on wheels’ with plans to gradually increase the number of portable toilets at railway stations in Mumbai.

Implementation of portable restrooms in our society can transform the hygiene standards of the public and increase the public health quality of this nation. Releaf has collaborated with world-class engineers to manufacture its premium quality portable toilets. Installing these toilets in disaster relief centers and construction sites can significantly improve the sanitation facilities in these places. These toilets are budget-friendly and cost less than constructing permanent toilets. Releaf’s portable restrooms offer four types of fittings. Its cabin Indian range and shower stalls cost around Rs. 33,500, whereas its western and urinal model ranges from Rs 35,500 and Rs 34,500 respectively.

The standard size of these toilets is 1100mm (width) x 1100mm (depth) x 2340mm (height), making them appropriate for positioning on flat surfaces or prior-fitted platforms. You can get the standard plumbing connection type or the chemical toilets range depending on your requirements.