New Delhi, “…Often, one has to hold one’s urine for hours, which leads to abdominal pain. Because of this, I once even developed a urinary tract infection. I was hospitalised for several days.”
Twenty-five-year-old Delhi resident Ayushi is one among thousands who face this plight. Long daily commutes via the metro for work, visits to overcrowded markets without toilets, or spending hours running small businesses without such facilities.
Ayushi, a resident of Shastri Park, said that due to the scarcity of public toilets in the city and the unhygienic state of the few that do exist, women are often forced to either hold their urine or use filthy facilities. Consequently, she herself had to battle a vaginal infection.
Speaking to PTI, Ayushi explained that she travels a long distance to reach her office every day, and out of sheer necessity, she is frequently compelled to use unhygienic toilets.
Neerja Bhatnagar, National Director of the Sulabh International Social Service Organisation, told PTI that her organisation manages and maintains a total of 430 public toilets across Delhi, including those located at Metro stations.
Ten staff members are deployed per facility to ensure cleanliness and maintenance.
Divya, an undergraduate student who commutes daily from Shahdara to Green Park using the metro, pointed out that, except for a few major hubs, the toilet facilities at many Delhi Metro stations are situated outside the station premises, requiring commuters to exit through the turnstiles to access them.
She noted that this not only results in increased travel costs but also leads to a significant waste of time.
Seema, 36, a working professional, mentioned that the official policy at Metro stations stipulates a fee of ₹2 for using the toilet for urination and ₹5 for defecation. However, the attendants stationed to oversee the facilities often demand ₹5 even for urination.
She added that this practice is yet another reason why women often refrain from using the toilets at Metro stations, even when they only need to urinate.
Seema said that even in the city’s major markets, the scarcity of restrooms, coupled with their unsanitary conditions, often compels women to hold their urine. This not only causes abdominal pain but also creates a highly uncomfortable situation.
Mariam, 17, a resident of Delhi’s Jafrabad, shared that her 47-year-old mother manages a shop from morning till night every day. Due to the lack of restrooms in the markets and their poor hygiene, her mother used to hold her urine for extended periods, a practice that eventually led to her suffering from urinary tract-related health issues.
When asked how many toilet seats are required per 100 women, Neerja Bhatnagar explained that there is no fixed formula for this, as requirements vary from city to city.
She noted that, according to the Swachh Bharat Mission guidelines for transient populations, one toilet seat is to be provided for every 100 men, while two seats are to be provided for every 100 women.
However, she added that, given the size of the female population in the national capital, the current count of 430 public restrooms is woefully inadequate.
Dr Ajay Rana, a Senior Consultant and Gynaecologist at the District Hospital in Sector-39, Noida, told PTI that holding urine for prolonged periods causes immediate discomfort and significantly increases the risk of long-term complications, such as Urinary Tract Infections , bladder dysfunction, and potential kidney damage.
He emphasised that these risks are particularly elevated for pregnant women and those lacking adequate access to clean restroom facilities.
He explained, “Short-term effects most commonly include Urinary Tract Infections , pain and discomfort, urinary retention, and urinary incontinence. Long-term consequences can manifest as kidney damage, injury to the bladder muscles, bladder stones, and pelvic floor dysfunction.”
With specific regard to pregnant women, he noted that holding urine in such cases further exacerbates the risk of UTIs, a condition that can be particularly dangerous during pregnancy.
She said that if a UTI is not treated promptly, the infection can spread to the kidneys and lead to severe complications, including premature delivery, low birth weight in the infant, fetal distress, and acute urinary retention.
Moreover, during menstruation, holding urine increases susceptibility to UTIs and also poses a risk of vulvovaginal infections.
Meanwhile, Dr Sunil Dagar, COO of Yashoda Medicity, noted that women lacking access to toilet facilities face a risk of genital and urinary tract infections that is up to six times higher than that of women with such access.
To avoid using the toilet, many women refrain from drinking water or other fluids for extended periods, which subsequently gives rise to genitourinary complications.
Neerja Bhatnagar acknowledged that, given the size of Delhi’s population, there is a need for more toilets.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
