Challans there but no public toilets? Court pulls up NHAI
**Challans There but No Public Toilets? Kerala High Court Pulls Up NHAI**
*By Chanshimla Varah | Sep 18, 2025, 06:11 PM*
The Kerala High Court has strongly criticized the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for failing to provide and maintain public toilets on national highways. This came during a hearing regarding the use of petrol station toilets by the public.
**Public Inconvenience Highlighted**
Justice Amit Rawal, while hearing the case, recounted his recent journey from Jodhpur to Ranthambore. He expressed frustration at the complete absence of public toilet facilities along that long stretch of highway.
“Recently, when I was traveling from Jodhpur to Ranthambore, we could not find a single public toilet on the NH. It is such a long stretch. We oversped and got four challans. So challans are there but no public toilet,” the judge remarked.
The appeal was filed by Kerala’s petroleum dealers association against an earlier single judge’s order mandating that petrol pumps on national highways must keep their washrooms open to the public at all times.
**International Comparison**
Justice Rawal also drew a comparison between India and other countries regarding public sanitation facilities on highways.
“Basically, this is the duty of the NHAI. Frankly speaking, if you go any foreign country, after you cover a certain distance you will always find a convenience stop,” he observed.
He further added, “Whatever National Highways toilets are there, they are not working. Nobody is there. Ultimately the entire brunt has fallen on them (petrol pump owners). This is very, very bad.”
**Modification of Earlier Order**
The Division Bench, comprising Justices Rawal and P.V. Balakrishnan, modified the earlier order pertaining to public access to petrol pump restrooms.
– Petrol pumps not situated on national highways may decide at their discretion whether to allow public use of their toilet facilities. These amenities should, however, be available to customers and transit travelers.
– For those located along national highways, the court ruled that restrooms are to be accessible to customers, transit travelers, and staff only during working hours.
This latest development underscores the urgent need for NHAI to fulfill its responsibility in providing adequate sanitation facilities for highway users across India.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/india/we-get-challans-but-no-public-toilets-court-to-nhai/story
