Public toilets near AG Square (top) and Keshari Talkies (above) in Bhubaneswar. Telegraph pictures

Bhubaneswar, June 9: The capital has expanded on all sides with malls, hotels and swanky office buildings adding to the beauty of the cityscape. However, public utilities, especially toilets, are still few and far in between.

Considering the needs of an ever-growing population, this is one area where Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has been found wanting. This has resulted in commuters having to relieve themselves in the open.

The one-kilometre stretch from Powerhouse Square to AG Square, taking Rabindra Mandap, Assembly, Secretariat and Rajya Soochana Bhaban within its sweep, is considered to be the nerve centre of the city. Thousands of people gather at these places everyday.

The only public toilet in this entire area seems to be the one in front of Keshari cinema hall. This toilet, too, is hard to spot for newcomers as it is covered with all kinds of advertisements.

“Though I have been staying in Bhubaneswar for the last two years, I was not aware of its existence until today,” said Rajendra Kumar Mallick, an engineering student who passes by the area almost everyday.

People can be seen urinating in the open in front of the Rajya Soochana Bhavan and other places. Lack of toilets often creates problems for physically challenged persons and women who visit this area.

“Often, I have to request the security guards of different offices in the area to use their toilets. And whether they will let me use their toilet or not depends on their whims,” said Anwar Allam, a physically challenged person who runs a small business here.

To the surprise of many, the guest room of the state Assembly also does not have a toilet. People coming to the guest room also urinate in the free space in front of the office.

“The state government spends lakhs for painting the walls, but cannot construct public toilets that costs much less,” said Bhabani Sanka Parija, who visits this place regularly.

He admitted that urinating in the open was disgraceful, but said the lack of an alternative justified it.

During various social events, people can be spotted urinating in front of the Rabindra Mandap. Women are the worst sufferers of the lack of public toilets in this area.

The BMC plans to construct 58 public toilets in the city in the near future. These toilets will be built from the funds of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).

“Once the report of the sanitation improvement team reaches, we will build public toilets in places where there is need,” said Dillip Routrai, public relations officer of the BMC.