Public Washrooms Can Now Be Located On Google Maps! More Than 3,000 Cities Made 67,000 'SBM Toilets' Go Live

The Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM), launched in 2014, is considered the world's most extensive programme launched towards eliminating open defecation. To ensure that every household and individual has access to basic toilet facilities in the country, the government set 2019 as the deadline for equipping every rural household with a toilet. Furthermore, as the program developed in various phases, SBM toilets were established across the country as public toilet facilities.

The country had made remarkable achievements in bringing forth the initiative, but it was necessary to take this message to every member of the crowd and encourage hygienic practices through their sanitation services. This required broader accessibility and a change in behaviours and beliefs among all communities in India.

Addressing the accessibility concern in the goal of making India open defecation-free (ODF), over 3,000 cities have now landmarked 67,000 SBM toilets on Google Maps.

Find Nearest SBM Toilet On Google

It was imperative to conduct follow-up activities and exercises to ensure that the SBM goals were achieved as expected and individuals did not regress into the former practice of open defecation. In an effort to take the message of sanitation facilities made available by the government to the public, the governments have now placed public toilets on Google Maps. It was initially launched as a pilot project in New Delhi, Bhopal, and Indore in the year 2016, and its success has been translating to many other cities across the country.

The campaign comes across as a part of the feature which enables citizens to locate public toilets via Google Maps, Search and the Assistant, and also provide feedback on the same. This would create a feedback channel alongside ensuring citizens have access to the facilities. Until September 2018, more than 500 cities with over 30,000 SBM Toilets were made live on Google Maps, and within a year after that, it crossed the 57,000 mark. As per the latest monthly report released by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, more than 67,000 public conveniences across 3,326 cities have been entered into Google Maps under the label 'Swachh Bharat Mission' (SBM) toilets.

Over 4000 Cities Now Open-Defecation Free

The report also presented data that suggested that 4,372 cities and towns are open-defecation-free, and 4,325 of them have been certified through third-party verification.

A report by the New Indian Express stated that 3,447 cities in total had been certified as ODF+, 1,062 cities have been awarded ODF++ certification and 14 towns have been given the 'Water+' recognition.

The mission continues to reach out to more towns and people to ensure the facilities are made available to truly transform the country with the ODF status.

Also Read: Swachh Bharat Abhiyan Might Have Many Failures, But It's One Of Modi Govt's Biggest Successes