Vijayawada: Despite significant investments by the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) in installing public urinals, their poor maintenance has led to a resurgence of open urination across the city. Residents are in dismay as the much-hyped efforts to promote hygiene and cleanliness seem to have faded.
In 2016, VMC had declared Vijayawada free of open defecation and urination. Further, in 2018, the civic body installed modern plastic urinal booths at 45 locations, spending approximately ₹80,000 per unit. This apart, VMC identified open urination spots and deployed Swachh Grahis to impose penalties. The initiatives derived best results, and Vijayawada city achieved India’s cleanest big city award in Swacch Survekshan rankings in 2018.
However, VMC failed to continue the spirit and ignored maintenance works of the public urinals after 2019. Post Covid-19 pandemic, the conditions of the public urinals had worsened. This caused severe inconvenience for the public.
Currently, the problem persists across the city, with unhygienic urinals near One-Town, Rythu Bazaar at Sambamurthy Road, Gandhi Nagar, and the railway station.
“Open urinal at Pulipativari street near Chitturi Complex at One-Town has been in bad shape for two years. Thousands of people have been using them despite their unhygienic condition. Many people urinate in public, right adjacent to the urinal booth. The stink causes a great deal of inconvenience to the pedestrians,” said Chintam Rambabu, a street vendor in city.
VMC authorities stated that the sanitation wing is responsible for maintaining the urinals and assured that immediate steps will be taken to restore them. Sources said that VMC is eying to repair these urinals and call tenders for regular cleaning and maintenance.
