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 expressed strong criticism of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for failing to provide and maintain public toilets along national highways. The remarks came during the hearing of a case concerning the public’s use of toilets at petrol stations.

**Public Inconvenience Highlighted**

Justice Amit Rawal, recalling his recent journey from Jodhpur to Ranthambore, highlighted the lack of basic sanitation facilities on this 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,” he remarked, emphasizing the public inconvenience caused by this neglect.

The court was hearing an appeal filed by Kerala’s petroleum dealers association against a single judge’s order, which mandated petrol pumps on national highways to keep their washrooms open to the public at all times.

**International Comparison**

Justice Rawal went on to compare India’s public highway sanitation facilities unfavorably with those in other countries. He observed, “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.

“[In India] 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,” the judge added, underscoring the authorities’ failure to maintain hygiene standards.

**Modification of Earlier Order**

The Division Bench comprising Justices Amit Rawal and P.V. Balakrishnan modified the earlier directive regarding petrol pumps’ washroom access. The revised order states that petrol pumps not situated on national highways may choose whether to allow public use of their toilets. However, these facilities must be available to customers and transit travelers.

For petrol pumps located along national highways, the court specified that customers, transit travelers, and staff can use the toilets only during the pump’s working hours.

This judgment brings to light the urgent need for better public sanitation infrastructure on national highways, placing responsibility squarely on the NHAI while balancing the concerns of petrol station owners.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/india/we-get-challans-but-no-public-toilets-court-to-nhai/story

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