Shimla MC clarifies no fee for using public toilets

After facing backlash over a recent decision to charge for using public toilets in Shimla, the Municipal Corporation has reversed its stance. The MC had initially announced plans to charge men for using urinals in about 30 of the town’s 130 public toilets. It had also planned to issue cards to traders and shopkeepers for access to the selected toilets, with a monthly fee of Rs 100-150. The fee was intended to cover maintenance costs, especially in high-traffic toilets.

However, the decision sparked strong opposition from local residents, the state, and even people from other parts of the country. In response, Surender Chauhan, the Mayor of Shimla, clarified that there will be no fee for using public toilets, for both men and women. He explained that the proposal to charge a fee had come from Sulabh International, which maintains the public toilets, but the MC has rejected it. Chauhan emphasised that the civic body pays Sulabh International for maintaining the toilets, and there was a misunderstanding regarding the proposal.