Pune’s ‘Ti Bus’ Toilets: From Free Service to Rs 5 Fee as PMC Plans Reopening
Pune, 1st February 2025: Out of the 11 ‘Ti Bus’ mobile toilets launched by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) for women, only three are currently in operation. In response to this, the Municipal Corporation’s Solid Waste Department has decided to revive the initiative by floating a tender for the maintenance and repair of these buses, toilet on wheels, for the next five years. A fee of Rs 5 will now be charged from users of this service.
The ‘Ti Bus’ project, which was part of the City Clean Campaign, was introduced in 2019 with the aim of providing mobile toilets for women at crowded locations across the city. The initiative used old PMPML buses, which were repurposed as mobile toilets, and were placed at 11 high-traffic areas. However, over time, the buses have faced operational challenges, with eight out of the 11 buses eventually being discontinued due to lack of funds and maintenance. Currently, only three buses remain in use, located at Chhatrapati Sambhaji Udyan on Jangli Maharaj Road, near Shaniwarwada, and at the District Court.
Sandeep Kadam, Deputy Commissioner of the Solid Waste Department, explained that the mobile toilets were initially provided free of charge but, due to increasing maintenance costs, a nominal fee of Rs 5 will now be charged to users. The PMC is also aiming to restart the closed buses by outsourcing their maintenance through a tender, with an estimated budget of Rs 50 lakh. In exchange, the company awarded the tender will have the rights to advertise on the buses and the opportunity to sell packaged food on one side of the buses.
The initiative, which was inspired by a similar project implemented by the Delhi government, was designed to provide sanitary facilities for women in public spaces. PMC officials hope that the revival of the service will not only offer a more reliable and accessible toilet option for women but also ensure that the mobile toilets remain operational and well-maintained for the long term.
