Delhi / First public toilet for transgenders started in Delhi

New Delhi: The national capital's first public toilet for transgenders has been opened by New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) at Raisina Road on Monday. The toilet is among a series of facilities to be set up in Lutyens’ area in Delhi in the coming months.

The new facility has been constructed in the parking lot of the Press Club of India complex. The facility also has a device that allows users to register complaints. The facility was inaugurated by transgenders and NDMC officials. 

The NDMC in its annual budget plan 2021-22 has laid out a strategy to open several such facilities in the area, according to a report in Hindustan Times. 

"This facility is the first free public toilet service for transpersons Delhi. The toilet will remain open between 6am and 10pm every day. The NDMC is also planning to build more such facilities in the near future after observing challenges and issues with this first one," the report quoted an official as saying. 

A touch screen interface has also been installed at the facility where users can give reviews and file complaints. Whatever issues and complaints we receive, we will try to address them in the new facilities," the official added.

In February this year, the Delhi government made it compulsory for all district authorities, departments, municipal corporations, its offices, state-run companies to build such exclusive facilities for transgenders. 

Meanwhile, the trans-community has welcomed the initiative. "In the absence of such facility, we had to face a lot of problems including personal slurs. There is a need to build more such public toilets In fact, at all toilet complexes in Delhi, one toilet should be designated for the trans community,”  the report further quoted Manpreet, a transperson, as saying.