The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has highlighted how India’s cities are transforming public sanitation infrastructure under the Toilets 2.0 initiative of the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U). Rather than focusing only on building new facilities, cities are now making existing and new Community and Public Toilets safer, cleaner and more inclusive through design innovation, technology and sustainable practices.
Key facts
- Swachh Bharat Mission launched on 2 October 2014
- Toilets 2.0 initiative launched in 2022 under SBM-U
- Sthree Toilet in Bengaluru, Karnataka: Built from a scrap bus at Majestic KSRTC terminal, serves women with three Indian-style and two Western-style commodes, solar-powered sensor lights, sanitary napkin vending machine and incinerator
- Aspirational Toilets in Navi Mumbai, Sector 14, Koparkhairane: Built from 5.3 metric tonnes of single-use plastic, 11,700 plastic bottles, 35,200 bottle caps, 85 computer keyboards and 284 kg of scrap metal; serves 8,000 to 9,000 visitors daily
- Freshrooms in Bhopal: Smart lounge covering 800 to 1,000 square feet at 10 Number Market, serves 500 to 1,000 visitors daily; features sensor-based toilets, touch-free urinals, hot and cold showers, Wi-Fi, café and baby-changing rooms
- Karad, Maharashtra: Collects 300 to 350 kg of sanitary waste daily; operates a 600 kg/day Common Biomedical Waste Treatment Facility with incinerator reaching 1,200°C
- Pink Toilet Complex, Tirupati: Serves 12,000 to 15,000 users daily with dedicated facilities for women, menstrual hygiene support and mother care rooms
- Common Public Toilet Complex, Tirupati railway station: Serves 20,000 to 25,000 devotees daily with facilities for all genders, transgender persons and persons with disabilities
- Citizens can locate nearest facility via SBM Toilet Locator on Swachhata app
What the Toilets 2.0 initiative does
Under the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0 framework, cities are moving beyond simply constructing toilets to focus on making them operational, well-maintained and accessible to everyone. The initiative emphasizes making Community and Public Toilets safe, clean, inviting and sustainable through design improvements, technology integration and community partnerships.
Innovative designs transforming access
Cities are adopting creative approaches suited to local needs. In Bengaluru, the Sthree Toilet repurposed a discarded bus into a dedicated facility for women at a busy transport hub, addressing the specific challenge women face when travelling. The design includes menstrual hygiene support through a sanitary napkin vending machine and incinerator, as well as a dedicated baby care area for nursing mothers.
Navi Mumbai has demonstrated how environmental sustainability and sanitation can work together. Its Aspirational Toilets were constructed almost entirely from recycled plastic waste collected from the city, turning pollution into infrastructure. The facility maintains gender-segregated sections, accessibility features for persons with disabilities, and baby care stations serving over 8,000 visitors daily.
Bhopal’s Freshrooms model integrates technology with comfort through a public-private partnership arrangement. These facilities feature sensor-activated fixtures to reduce water waste, touch-free systems for hygiene, and additional amenities like lockers, Wi-Fi and cafés that encourage use and generate revenue for maintenance. The Design-Build-Operate-Transfer model allows private operators to run the facility efficiently while the public sector retains ownership.
Addressing the sanitary waste challenge
A critical but often overlooked part of sanitation is safe disposal of used sanitary products and diapers. Karad in Maharashtra has tackled this through a comprehensive approach involving community awareness, proper segregation and high-temperature incineration. The city collects 300 to 350 kg of sanitary waste daily and processes it through a 600 kg/day treatment facility operated in partnership with local hospitals. Emissions from the incinerator, which reaches 1,200°C, are monitored in real time and linked to state pollution authorities to prevent environmental harm.
Universal access and dignity
Tirupati’s toilet complexes showcase how sanitation infrastructure can serve diverse users. The Pink Toilet Complex near the bus station specifically addresses women’s needs including mother care and menstrual hygiene support, while the Common Public Toilet Complex near the railway station provides dedicated facilities for men, women, transgender persons and persons with disabilities. Both facilities maintain high cleanliness through structured multi-shift cleaning schedules.
What this means for you
If you travel, work in crowded areas or visit pilgrimage sites, these upgraded facilities will offer improved cleanliness, safety and comfort compared to earlier public toilets. Women and mothers will benefit from dedicated spaces and menstrual hygiene support. Persons with disabilities will find ramps, handrails and accessible fixtures. Citizens can now search for the nearest clean public toilet using the SBM Toilet Locator feature on the Swachhata mobile app, reducing anxiety about facility availability.
The focus on menstrual hygiene management and sanitary waste disposal also signals reduced stigma and better health outcomes for women and girls. Communities hosting these facilities experience reduced open defecation, lower disease spread, and improved environmental quality.
How partnerships make it work
The success of these initiatives depends on involvement from multiple stakeholders. Municipal corporations design and fund facilities, private operators run them under structured agreements, hospitals partner to manage waste treatment, and community groups raise awareness. This sharing of responsibility helps ensure facilities remain clean and sustainable over time rather than falling into disrepair.