While the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has made headlines by improving its national ranking in the Swachh Survekshan 2024-25 to the 9th position from 34th in the previous year, the city’s on-ground sanitation reality is far from sparkling.
A glaring example is the long-defunct e-toilet near the busy Acharya Vihar bus stop, which is forcing daily commuters to resort to open defecation.
Thousands of passengers visit the Acharya Vihar bus stop every day. Many spend considerable time waiting for their buses. The e-toilet was a crucial facility for them, especially women travellers who now face immense difficulties. With the toilet non-operational for an extended period, people are left with no choice but to relieve themselves outdoors, tarnishing the city’s ODF++ (Open Defecation Free Plus Plus) status.
BMC has installed e-toilets at multiple locations across Bhubaneswar. However, maintenance has become a major concern as the number of facilities has increased. Residents point out that earlier, with fewer units, upkeep was better managed. Now, many lie neglected.
Sanitation department officials and staff are reportedly concentrating all efforts on intensive cleaning and survey-related activities to secure good marks in Swachh Survekshan. Meanwhile, regular inspections and repairs of e-toilets outside the BMC headquarters seem to be ignored. Ironically, the e-toilet at the BMC main office functions perfectly at all times.
Attempts to reach N. Ganesh Babu, the Sanitation Department officer, for comments remained unanswered.
Citizens of Acharya Vihar and other areas are demanding immediate repairs of the broken e-toilets and the installation of additional public toilets near bus stands and high-traffic zones. They question whether the focus on survey rankings is coming at the cost of practical, everyday cleanliness and public convenience.
The incident highlights the gap between official claims and the lived experience of Bhubaneswar residents. Similar complaints are emerging from most other bus stands, raising fears that the city’s impressive cleanliness ranking may not reflect true progress.
