No toilets at Vidyaranyapura grounds, women suffer

BENGALURU: Nestled between HMT and NTI layouts in Vidyaranyapura is the sprawling NTI Grounds, a hub of activity with many big sporting events being organised here. But there are no toilet facilities available for hundreds of sports enthusiasts, including a good number of women, who visit the place every day.  

Madhuri Subbarao, co-founder of the Dhatri Women and Child Welfare Association -- which has 40 active members, has been relentlessly fighting for the amenity for nearly six years. “For a city which hosted the Khelo India University Games recently, it is shameful that this basic amenity is not provided despite repeated pleas to BBMP officials, two former corporators Kusuma Manjunath and H Lakshmi and former mayor Gnanambika Mallikarjun. We have raised the issue frequently on public forums and social media tagging MLA Krishna Byre Gowda too,” she said. 

She pointed out that the existing three public toilets are in a state of disuse with the BBMP keeping them locked for years. “They do not have water facility. If not new toilets, why is it so difficult to refurbish these locked ones at least,” she asked. The nearest public toilets are quite a distance away. “It is a huge embarrassment for women players who come to compete in tournaments here with men urinating all around the place. There is no space for women to change into their sports gear too. Senior citizens are forced to relieve themselves in the open,” she said.

Former BJP corporator Kusuma Manjunath said a contractor, Kumar, was entrusted with the task of overhauling the toilets long ago. “He began by doing some sump work and then vanished. We got busy during Covid with vaccination-related work and distribution of rations. No one knows when he stopped work. My term also has concluded now.”   

Byatarayanapura MLA Krishna Byre Gowda has now assured immediate action. “I have not been approached by anyone so far regarding the issue. It is good that you have brought it to my notice. I will do my best to ensure it is redressed at the earliest,” he said.