International Toilet Festival 3.0: Chennai Corporation's ‘Toilet Walk' sparks discussions on inclusivity

The Hindu

25-06-2025

At the public toilets of the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) on Sunnambu Kalvai Street near Dr. Natesan Road in Triplicane, a participant of the 'Toilet Walk' found that one of the sink taps was faulty, while the rest of the facility was functioning properly.
The walk was part of the Corporation's International Toilet Festival 3.0, organised in collaboration with NGOs Cheer and WashLab. Two sessions were held on Saturday (June 21, 2025): a morning walk focused on 'exploring the psychology of toilet art', and an evening roundtable discussion on 'disability as a diversified human experience'.
At the end of the walk at Kandappa Ram Nagar, located nearby, many participants hesitated to sit near another public toilet. However, after an hour-long discussion held at the site, the space transformed into one of interaction rather than discomfort.
Toilet art
Sannuthi Suresh, a psychotherapist, and Vishnu V., a psychologist, moderated discussions on the various forms of body language people exhibit when entering public toilets.
Speaking of graffiti on walls of public toilets, Mr. Vishnu explained that for families of four or five living in extremely small homes, there may be no private space to express their thoughts or emotions. In such cases, intimate and often-overlooked spaces like community toilets can become unintended outlets for expression.
'They cannot be blamed,' he said, adding, 'Instead, we need to understand and address the psychosocial factors behind such acts.'
Ms. Suresh facilitated conversations around what an ideal public toilet could look like for everyone, irrespective of caste, class, community, or gender, 'given that these are spaces where one not only defecates, urinates, and bathes, but also where one might find privacy for sexual intimacy, or where violence may occur.'
Referring to the broken facilities, alcohol bottles, and writings found in many toilets, discussions were also held on certain types of graffiti in men's toilets and their possible connection to patriarchy.
Disability and public spaces
During the roundtable meeting anchored by activist Aiswarya Rao on inclusive design for persons with disabilities (PwDs), Sathish Kumar of the Disability Rights Alliance said he wanted to travel to different places but was restricted due to a lack of support and inadequate toilet facilities.
'The public toilet of the GCC in Besant Nagar, close to a police booth, is still not universally accessible. The ones opposite the Marina Beach parking lot are better, but still not 100% accessible for all categories of PwDs,' he added.
R. Sujatha, a disability rights activist, reported an incident in Kancheepuram where a 24-year-old girl died after falling into a septic tank, allegedly due to the lack of a bathroom in her office. V. Lingesh, the manager of the NGO Better World Shelter, citing an accessibility audit undertaken last year, said barring two schools, none of the buildings were barrier-free for PwDs.
F. Matilda, a para-sports player, emphasised the need for policy changes to improve toilet facilities in hotels, schools, and stadiums, as athletes often struggle to access them. Mr. Vishnu, during this discussion, stressed that universally accessible spaces are not just ideal, but essential.