There is only one public toilet for every 25,000 to 30,000 people in Bengaluru. And even among those available, more than one in four toilets is found to be non-functional, according to a citizen-led audit released on July 22.

The findings are part of the Bengaluru Public Toilet Audit Report 2026, released by the Bangalore Political Action Committee (B.PAC). The survey, carried out during April and May by B.PAC’s B.CLIP civic leaders and student volunteers, assessed 142 public toilets across the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) limits for cleanliness, functionality, safety, accessibility and overall user experience.

One of the findings of the audit was that only 56% of the toilets were adequately lit, which, the report stated, raised safety concerns, especially for women.

The survey was conducted across residential neighbourhoods, commercial areas, markets, parks, transit hubs and other high-footfall locations. East City Corporation was not included in this audit cycle.

Auditors carried out physical inspections of each facility using a checklist covering 28 parameters, including cleanliness and hygiene, availability of water, functionality, lighting, ventilation, accessibility for persons with disabilities, safety, gender segregation, maintenance, signage and overall user-friendliness. Observations were documented with photographs, while user interactions and maintenance records were examined wherever available.

The findings, B.PAC said, were supplemented with secondary data from government guidelines, including those of GBA and the Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban), existing public toilet datasets and urban sanitation studies to compare ground conditions with prescribed standards.

Accessibility

Accessibility was another major concern. As per the report, only nine of the toilets surveyed had ramps for persons with disabilities. None had soap dispensers or dustbins, and contractor details and user charges were absent at many locations, making it difficult for citizens to know who is responsible for maintenance.

According to the report, Bengaluru currently has around 900 public toilets, of which 479 are officially listed under the Greater Bengaluru Authority. B.PAC said the city’s public sanitation infrastructure has not kept pace with its population growth, now estimated at over 1.4 crore.

Among its recommendations, the organisation has sought a 30-day repair drive to restore all non-functional toilets, creation of a dedicated ‘Public Toilet Management Cell’ under the GBA, and a shift from construction-focused contracts to long-term operation and maintenance contracts.

It has also recommended ensuring regular water supply, adequate lighting, soap dispensers, and dustbins in every facility, besides making toilets accessible to persons with disabilities, and increasing the number of women-friendly and gender-inclusive toilets.

B.PAC has requested the Karnataka government and the GBA to construct more than 1,000 additional public toilets through the public-private partnership (PPP) model. It has recommended prioritising high-footfall areas such as bus terminals, Namma Metro stations, markets, parks, tourist destinations and construction sites.