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NEW DELHI: To give people access to modern, tech-enabled public restrooms at tourist destinations, religious sites and places with heavy footfall, the govt on Wednesday announced the construction of 29,000 “aspirational toilets” across 3,920 municipal areas in 36 states and UTs.Madhya Pradesh will have the highest number of such toilets (5,131) followed by Maharashtra (4,385) and Tamil Nadu (3,762).“Aspirational toilets” are typically modern, tech-enabled restrooms featuring improved accessibility, automatic flushing, voice assistance, separate facilities for men and women, and power backup. These also include smart features, user-friendly designs, and gender-neutral and child-friendly amenities.Around 900 such toilets across 100 complexes, including one each in Indore and Lucknow, were inaugurated from an event here on World Toilet Day, organised by Sulabh International.In a statement, the housing and urban affairs ministry said the Swachh Bharat Mission is now encouraging all urban local bodies (ULBs) to expand public toilet infrastructure at tourist destinations, high-footfall areas and religious sites to meet growing sanitation needs. It has recommended that these facilities be classified as “aspirational toilets”.Speaking at the event, housing and urban affairs minister Manohar Lal Khattar said, “Across India and around the world, better and cleaner toilet systems are being put in place. In our country too, mindsets are changing — and must change. You judge cleanliness by not just seeing a tidy home or bedroom, but by the condition of the kitchen and toilets.”Jal Shakti minister C R Patil highlighted the transformative impact of toilets on the lives of women, stressing that rural toilet construction has protected their dignity, safety, pride, and honour. “Safe sanitation and safe water are essential—and it all begins with access to toilets. In rural areas, 12 crore toilets have been constructed,” he added.Kumar Dilip, president of Sulabh International, highlighted India’s pioneering contributions in sanitation innovation and community-led dignity.
