ASSESSMENT OF PUBLIC SANITATION FACILITIES NEAR TOURIST SPOTS IN KOLKATA

Abstract

This study provides a comprehensive evaluation of the public sanitation infrastructure surrounding three major tourist and transit hubs in Kolkata: the Babughat riverfront, the Victoria Memorial heritage complex, and the Kalighat Kali Temple precinct. As the capital of West Bengal and a premier cultural destination, Kolkata hosts an immense "floating population" of daily commuters, domestic pilgrims, and millions of international tourists annually. Despite the implementation of ambitious national sanitation frameworks like the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM), the city continues to grapple with localized open urination, inadequate facility maintenance, and severe spatial inequity in infrastructure provision. This research employs a mixed-methods approach, synthesizing primary geospatial (GPS) mapping, standardized infrastructural audits, and subjective user perception surveys to diagnose the exact nature of these service deficits. Advanced Geographic Information Systems (GIS) techniques, including multi-ring buffer and nearest-distance analyses, were utilized to quantify the accessibility of existing toilets, while the Sanitation Condition Index (SCI) was applied to evaluate objective hygiene standards against subjective user satisfaction. The empirical findings reveal a profound spatial and qualitative mismatch between sanitation provision and demographic demand. While premium heritage sites like the Victoria Memorial demonstrate adequate coverage and high user satisfaction, mass religious and transit hubs suffer from critical "cold spots"—areas entirely devoid of accessible facilities within a standard 400-meter walking radius. Furthermore, the study highlights severe systemic failures regarding gender equity, user safety, and menstrual hygiene management. By benchmarking these localized deficits against successful domestic and international case studies (such as Indore's Public-Private Partnership models and Tokyo's technologically advanced public toilets), this report formulates strategic, data-driven planning proposals. Recommendations include the strategic siting of automated "e-toilets," the integration of Internet of Things (IoT) sensors for real time maintenance, mandatory universal-design retrofitting to meet National Building Code standards, and the adoption of financially sustainable management frameworks to elevate Kolkata's public conveniences to the "Aspirational" standards mandated by SBM-Urban 2.0