In a bid to be more inclusive, the Delhi government has instructed its various departments, municipal corporations, district authorities, and autonomous bodies to set up exclusive restrooms facilities for transgender persons at their individual offices. As per the order, the government said that if transgender facilities cannot be constructed immediately, the existing restrooms available for persons with disabilities (PwD) should temporarily double up as facilities for transgender persons.
The order states, “In compliance with the provisions of section 22 of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 for ensuring adequate welfare measures for transgender persons, all public buildings under all the departments, autonomous bodies, PSUs, corporations and local bodies of Government of NCT Delhi are hereby directed to create separate identified public toilet facilities for transgender persons.”
As part of the annual budget for 2021-22, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has allocated funds to provide public toilets exclusively for the transgender community, with a deadline to complete all constructions within two years. According to the order issued by the social welfare department, “Such toilets will display symbols for both PwDs and T for transgender persons. Trans people shall continue to be allowed to use gender-based toilets as per their self-identified gender.”
The order has not only been sent to the NDMC chairman and the Delhi Police commissioner for compliance, but to the CEO of the Delhi Cantonment board, the secretaries of the departments, and all district magistrates, among others.
Meanwhile, a public toilet for the transgender community was inaugurated in Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi on February 17, and plans are underway to open four more toilets across the city, particularly in areas where a majority of transgender community reside. The cost of the newly-inaugurated restroom was ₹5 lakhs.
In a statement to the press, Gaurang Rathi, Varanasi Municipal Commissioner, said, “It is easy to find a community toilet for men and women in the city. But there was a dearth of a toilet for transgender people. So a transgender-only toilet was built.”
*Image for representational purposes only.