CHENNAI: A public toilet located along Rettaimalai Srinivasan Road, popularly known as Brick Kiln Road near Salaima Nagar, is in a dilapidated condition, with residents urging the Corporation to construct a new facility immediately.
Though construction of two nearby facilities is still under way, residents of Salaima Nagar are entirely dependent on a single public toilet.
Users of the facility face significant challenges with slippery floors leading to injuries. The situation worsens, especially for pregnant women and teenage girls, during the monsoon.
A Sekar, a resident of Salaima Nagar, said, “The Corporation is responsible for the daily maintenance of the toilet. Around 20-30 people use the facility. The leaky roof makes the floor slippery, and users find it difficult to even enter the toilet.”
Highlighting safety concerns, S Megana, a senior citizen from the locality, piped in: “The doors are broken and rusted. A few months ago, I slipped and injured my leg. After using the free toilet, I had to spend Rs 1,000 on treatment.”
DMK councillor Parithi Elamsurithi of Ward 99 said that a proposal was submitted for demolishing the existing structure and constructing a new toilet at the same location. “The work will begin after the Assembly election,” he added.
A senior Corporation official admitted that residents had been requested to bear with the situation temporarily. “Construction of new toilets a few hundred metres away is nearing completion. Once the new facility is inaugurated, the old toilet will be demolished,” the official stated.