In an attempt to prevent public urination in the city, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has installed large mirrors at locations susceptible to public urination. The idea is taken up as part of the Swachh Survekshan 2020 campaign.

Mirror to stop public urination

The civic body believes that the idea will help in building awareness about such cleanliness issues in public. The mirrors (8ft. x 4ft.), established at a price of nearly Rs 30,000 can be relocated to any place wherever the awareness is required. It has been installed in five different locations in the city by the BBMP.

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“We want people to see public urination as a taboo, that is the main purpose of this initiative. We are also in the process of building more toilets across the city, and necessary plans have been proposed to make urinals free for the people,” said a BBMP official.

The mirror effect

The officials say that the purpose behind this move is that it generates a ‘mirror effect’ like holding a mirror up to the culprits who urinate in public. Last year, more than 100 people were punished by the civic body for public urination.

These mirrors are made using an unbreakable material that has QR code scanning, which helps a person to get the location of the nearest public toilet. Moreover, it has messages such as- “Don’t spit in public”, “Say no to single-use plastic”, “Stop littering” and “Avoid Public Urination”- were mentioned over the mirror, to request a sense of responsibility and to create awareness among the people.

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“The concept of installing the mirrors in the blackspots is to give civic sense and to prevent the public urination in the city. We have installed mirrors in five locations after conducting a survey,” Randeep D, BBMP Special Commissioner, Solid Waste Management (SWM) told.

Locations of the mirrors

The mirrors have been installed in Church street, KR Market, Jyoti Nivas College in Koramangala, Indian Express circle in Queens road and Indiranagar near ESI Hospital in Bengaluru. CCTV cameras are also installed nearby to catch lawbreakers.

“The Bengaluru city is Open Defecation Free (ODF) and to make sure this tag remains we are creating awareness through this project to prevent public urination,” added the official.

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The civic body is also planning to construct around 250 toilets, in a prefabricated structure. Treated water will also be provided by Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) for the toilets.