Public sanitation is often assessed through coverage figures, official declarations, and scheme milestones. What is less visible is the condition of facilities on the ground, particularly in places where people gather daily, such as bus stands, market streets, hospital surroundings, and railway access roads.

In many towns, public toilets exist on paper but fail to function as usable spaces due to a lack of water, broken infrastructure, or complete closure. This gap affects commuters, street vendors, informal workers, and women more than any statistics can reflect. Across Vidarbha, sanitation infrastructure shows sharp contrasts between formal claims and lived reality.

This article examines six towns where public toilets in key areas are either non-functional or absent, based strictly on reported conditions, civic assessments, and documented ground-level observations. The focus remains on access and usability, not on policy intent or administrative claims. The issue discussed here concerns Vidarbha once in this introduction and centres on how daily movement through towns intersects with sanitation access.

1. Nagpur

Nagpur is the largest urban centre in the region and serves as a transport and administrative hub for central India. Despite its size and municipal reach, public toilets in several high footfall areas have repeatedly been reported as unusable. Locations such as major squares, old market zones, and long-established bus stops have toilet structures that exist physically but remain locked, damaged, or unhygienic. In areas like Sadar, Chhaoni, Katol Road junctions, and older commercial belts, commuters often find broken doors, clogged pans, or no water supply. These conditions render the facilities effectively unusable even though they are officially counted as assets.

The problem is more visible around legacy infrastructure rather than newly developed corridors. Older toilet complexes constructed under earlier urban schemes have suffered from years of neglect and irregular maintenance. Field reports have noted leaking pipes, non-functional lighting, and waste overflow in some locations. For daily wage workers, street vendors, and drivers operating across the city, the lack of functional facilities in these zones creates routine hardship. While newer installations exist in select pockets, they do not offset the failure of older essential toilets in central areas. As a result, access remains uneven despite the city’s overall sanitation coverage figures.

2. Amravati

Amravati presents a different but related picture, where water availability plays a decisive role in sanitation functionality. Public toilets in busy areas such as market roads, transport nodes, and older residential clusters often face disruption due to irregular water supply. Structures built for public use exist near bus stands and trading zones, but many remain closed for long periods when water is unavailable. Reports from sanitation assessments have highlighted that toilets without an assured water supply quickly become unusable, even if the physical structure is intact. In several localities, people rely on makeshift arrangements or nearby open spaces because the facilities cannot be used safely.

This problem extends beyond the city core into peri-urban areas where municipal reach weakens. During periods of acute water shortage, sanitation infrastructure becomes one of the first casualties. The impact is particularly visible in zones with high daily movement, such as vegetable markets and shared transport stops. Women commuters and elderly residents are among the most affected groups. The presence of a toilet block does not guarantee access if basic utilities are missing. In Amravati, the issue is not the absence of structures alone but the repeated failure of systems that support their use. This creates a situation where official sanitation coverage masks persistent access gaps.

3. Akola

Akola is a major cotton trading centre and a district headquarters with a significant daily inflow of traders and workers. Public toilets around central bus stands, railway access roads, and wholesale markets have long been reported as inadequate. In several cases, facilities are either too few for the population they serve or are in a condition that discourages use. Broken fixtures, lack of cleaning, and poor lighting are common issues cited in local sanitation reviews. Many commuters passing through Akola rely on informal arrangements due to the lack of usable public options. The problem becomes more pronounced during market days when footfall increases sharply. Older parts of the city show limited upgrades to sanitation infrastructure compared to expanding residential zones.

While some newer toilets have been constructed under national schemes, their distribution does not always align with areas of highest need. Informal workers operating in transport and loading activities are particularly affected by this mismatch. The absence of functional toilets in these zones has been a recurring concern in civic reporting. Akola’s case highlights how economic activity does not automatically translate into adequate public sanitation access.

4. Pandharkawda

Pandharkawda is a municipal council town in Yavatmal district with a population that relies heavily on market trade and regional transport. Despite its administrative status, public toilet infrastructure in key areas remains limited. The main bus stand and central market streets have few functional facilities, and those that exist often suffer from poor upkeep. Reports from smaller towns in the region indicate that sanitation infrastructure is frequently deprioritised once initial construction is completed. In Pandharkawda, this pattern is evident in the condition of public toilets that are either locked or visibly damaged. Daily commuters, including farmers and traders from surrounding villages, spend long hours in these areas without access to basic facilities. The lack of proper sanitation affects not only comfort but also hygiene standards in public spaces.

Unlike larger cities, the town has limited alternative options, such as private facilities that allow public access. The issue is compounded by the absence of regular monitoring or maintenance schedules. As a result, the existence of a municipal council has not ensured functional sanitation coverage in high-use zones. Pandharkawda’s situation reflects challenges faced by many mid-sized towns across Vidarbha, where infrastructure support does not keep pace with daily usage.

5. Morshi

Morshi is an important town in Amravati district with a strong agricultural and trading base. Public toilets in central areas, particularly near transport hubs and weekly markets, have been reported as insufficient or poorly maintained. While basic civic amenities exist, sanitation facilities often fail to meet the needs of people who spend extended time in public spaces. Market vendors and transport workers are among those most affected by the lack of usable toilets. In several instances, facilities are present but remain inaccessible due to damage or lack of cleaning. Smaller towns like Morshi often rely on limited municipal resources, which affects regular upkeep. The problem is not always visible from coverage data but becomes apparent through daily usage patterns. Public toilets near busy roads and gathering points show signs of neglect over time. The absence of functional facilities forces people to seek alternatives that compromise hygiene. Morshi’s case illustrates how sanitation challenges persist even in towns with stable economic activity. The gap between infrastructure creation and maintenance remains a key factor.

6. Telhara

Telhara, located in the Akola district, has a distinct identity tied to the cotton trade and regional commerce. Despite this, public sanitation infrastructure has not developed in proportion to its market activity. Key areas such as the main bus stop and trading zones have limited public toilet access. Where facilities exist, they are often reported as poorly maintained or unusable. The absence of functional toilets in these zones affects traders, transport operators, and visitors who spend long hours in the town. Smaller municipalities like Telhara face challenges in sustaining sanitation infrastructure beyond initial construction. Over time, lack of maintenance leads to closures or severe deterioration. The problem is particularly evident during peak trading seasons when footfall increases. Without adequate facilities, public spaces become strained. Telhara’s situation mirrors that of many smaller towns where sanitation remains a secondary concern despite economic importance. The town adds a third reference to Vidarbha within the body of this article, underscoring how widespread the issue is across districts.

The six towns discussed here differ in size, economic role, and administrative status, yet they share a common issue regarding public sanitation access. The presence of toilet structures does not guarantee usability, especially in areas with high daily movement.

Broken infrastructure, lack of water supply, and irregular maintenance emerge as recurring factors. These conditions affect people who rely most on public spaces, including informal workers, commuters, and small traders. The issue remains largely invisible in official declarations that focus on construction numbers rather than functionality. Across towns, older facilities appear more vulnerable to neglect than newly built ones.

Smaller municipalities face additional constraints due to limited resources and monitoring capacity. The absence of usable toilets in key areas has implications for hygiene and dignity in everyday life. This article has focused solely on documented conditions without attributing intent or proposing remedies. The pattern observed across these towns reflects a structural gap between sanitation coverage and actual access. Understanding this gap is essential for any meaningful discussion on urban and semi-urban sanitation realities.