Shimla residents and visitors will now have to pay ₹5 to use public toilets in the city, marking the end of free access. The Shimla Municipal Corporation has decided to implement the fee in 30 public toilets from January 2025, making Shimla the first city in Himachal Pradesh to introduce such charges.
The decision, approved in a Municipal Corporation meeting chaired by Mayor Surendra Chauhan, aims to cover maintenance costs and improve sanitation standards. Sulabh International, which operates the city’s public toilets, currently receives ₹2.44 lakh monthly from the Corporation for maintenance.
To facilitate regular users, including businessmen and their staff, the Corporation will issue monthly passes for ₹150. Passholders can use public toilets unlimited times during the month. Additionally, QR codes for UPI payments will be installed outside the toilets for easy transactions.
Despite a High Court directive to provide free urinal facilities for women, some instances of fee collection from women users have been reported. The Municipal Corporation plans to implement this system in high-traffic areas, including Shimla’s main markets, in the coming days.
Most public toilets in Shimla have long suffered from inadequate water supply and poor maintenance, often leaving them in an unhygienic and unsanitary conditions. With the introduction of charges, residents and tourists now hope for cleaner, better-maintained facilities that meet basic hygiene standards.
