Bombay High Court asked all the municipal corporations in Maharashtra to devise schemes in their respective areas to provide toilets for women.
The division bench headed by Justice Abhay Oka also asked the civic bodies to rope in NGOs to ensure that the toilets are inspected and maintained regularly.
A reasonable fee can be charged for the service, the court suggested.
‘Milun Saryajani’, an NGO, had filed a public interest litigation seeking a direction to the Pune Municipal Corporation to provide latrines and urinals and “other similar conveniences” for women. Following which, the corporation took certain steps to provide toilets.
The judges later expanded the scope of the PIL to cover all civic bodies.
On the last occasion, the court had remarked that “women walking on the streets must have the facility of toilets and it is the duty of civic body to provide such a facility”.
The next hearing would be after the Christmas vacation.
