As the summer tourist season begins to peak, for thousands of tourists who stroll daily on Shimla’s famous Ridge one of the biggest problems faced by them is lack of a public toilet here.
It has been three years since the two toilets here were shut down after heavy rains caused a landslide lower down at the Tibetan market, but the civic authorities haven’t since bothered to repair this structure and make it functional.
When officials of the Shimla municipal corporation are asked when these toilets will be restored the answer strangely is elusive and vague.
Other officials simply dismiss it as a trivial issue,this perhaps explains why the public facilities have not been restored so far.As a result the walker on the Ridge tries to enjoy the leisurely walk and also must fight the natural urge to empty his bladder.
Lack of basic facilities like a public toilet for three years in the heart of Shimla which is thronged by thousands of tourists every day is a shame on the Himachal Pradesh government say many tourists and locals in frustration,it shows the civic authorities simply don’t care !
In a 20 year career published widely. He has worked for the BBC, AFP, The Statesman, IANS and the Business Standard . Known for his hard hitting writing and occasional off-beat stories. He lives in Shimla.
I have taken up the matter with the state government that proper and clean toilets must be constructed all over the state along with rain shelters and bus stops.Particularly women and senior citizens face maximum difficulties.
So much for the ” No. 1 tourist state and destination”. Even the other toilets on the mall and around are a sad story when we talk of cleanliness. Another aspect which needs to be brought to focus is the mentality of the users. As long as people at large in the urban areas do not start treating the bathroom and toilet room as a “Room in the house” on the one hand and public utilities as their own on the other, we will continue to be in the present state of limbo. I also agree with Mr. Dhiman that the toilet facilities at locations like the present Shimla bus stand are in a state of horrific decay and the public has to suffer while using them. The experiment with Sulabh International also does not appear to have succeeded in Himachal Pradesh.
No more concrete structures on either sides of the Ridge. Let the greenery stay. I prefer to get down the stairs and use the toilet on the Mall. Let MC first solve the problem of sinking Ridge and then rejuvenate the old toilets. We all should prefer verdour to brick and mortar.
-Shriniwas Joshi
Whats so special …its everywhere in entire HIMACHAL..even at the best tourist destinations..even dogs would shy away entering pathetic toilets …if there are any..
Tourism Secretary Should be requested to use public toilet at Manali Main Bus Stand..then facts would be revealed as how much development is there in the name of basic amenities and tourist destinations…
Ground Realities are really different from what things are boasted about it is really shameful…this shows the working of MC shimla .Untill we get rid of this Lal feeta shahi we cannot compete with other progressive countries around.
Simple ! Make a beeline for the ones used by MC(M) and the Mayor(F) in the office on the Mall…let them wait in ‘Q’ too !!
You can judge the performance of Shimla MC by news items in the name of elected representatives rather than applying their services to the genuine problems as highlighted by you sir .
People are often found asking about toilets on the Mall and Ridge. May God give some wisdom to our Mayor and Deputy Mayor who are bent upon imposing taxes on their own people or evicting locals out of town on so called planned development.
This town is completely neglected by hand picked so called public leaders who are making a fool of the entire system keeping close ties with the contractors or builders to benefit them by misusing their power.
The cartel is even trying to divert the attention even hardworking officials by intervening in their day to day work the town has only couple of toilets that were not ample to cater the the increasing floating population and locals on Ridge and Mall. Kudos to You for raising the matter.
Municipal Committees Or Corporations …Nothing can be expected from representatives of such institutions …they are in fact leeches.. and parasites…on society and the loot system we live in..now they don’t even have enough funds for toilets..
Mayor or Presidents….must be enjoying urinating openly or might be habitual of this ..who knows..that’s why encouraging general public to follow same option…
This infact is a matter of grave concern. In absence of such basic facilities, how do we expect tourists to say nice things about Himachal. It shows how much our government cares about the bare minimum needs of the people. In such a scenario people are left with no other option but to relieve themselves in public areas. What a pity! I am really concerned about the womenfolk here. They are the ones who suffer the most in situations like these.
I would request the state Government and the Municipal Corporation of Shimla to please look into this matter urgently and repair the old dilapidated and unkempt restrooms on the Ridge, and also consider constructing many more in Shimla and other tourist destinations, if not in the whole state.
It is never too late for the comments on this subject. If you start walking from the toilets on the Mall towards either sides, i.e. Chotta Shimla or Chaura Maidan, where do we find toilets on this long stretch of road which is definitely more than 4-5 kilometers? As for toilets near ridge, I agree about no more construction on either side to preserve greenery but horses (ponies) and stray dogs have the liberty to meet their natural calls at will right on the road or surface of ridge whereas humans have to keep a strong check on their exploding bladders. I wonder if the Municipal Corporation has some toilets in their own premises and what would be their condition. Will someone check that or is scared of fainting due to poisonous fumes.
The home toilets of the MC officials concerned should be declared public toilets.