MCD Fails to Fine Public Urination in South Delhi as Toilets Lie Locked
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has failed to issue a single fine for public urination and spitting in almost all of its zones over the past five years, despite severe decay in the city's public sanitation infrastructure. According to official data, except for Shahdara North, every single MCD zone—including the South, Central, Karol Bagh, and West zones—reported zero enforcement against these offences. This lack of action has left public facilities in South Delhi areas like Lajpat Nagar, Defence Colony, and Kalkaji Market in a state of total neglect, with many toilets locked or unusable.
MCD records revealed a stark contrast in enforcement across the capital. While Shahdara North was the sole MCD zone to take action, issuing 224 challans for public urination and 156 for spitting, all other zones recorded nil enforcement. In comparison, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) issued 11,534 challans for littering between 2020-21 and 2026-27, recovering Rs 4.38 lakh in penalties. NDMC imposes fines of Rs 500 for public urination or defecation and Rs 1,000 for spitting. Under MCD rules, a National Green Tribunal directive allows for a Rs 5,000 fine, though the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act of 1957 sets the penalty at just Rs 50.
The lack of enforcement coincides with a widespread breakdown of municipal sanitation facilities. In Lajpat Nagar, located next to the busy market and parking area, the women’s washroom was found locked. Near the Lajpat Nagar flyover, a public toilet equipped with an accessibility ramp and tactile paving for persons with disabilities was also locked and inaccessible.
Similar issues were observed in Defence Colony, where the women’s toilet was locked, forcing attendants to advise women to use a washroom at a nearby petrol pump. At the Kalkaji Market, a lack of security or staff allowed a man to enter the women's restroom. Elsewhere, behind the MCD Civic Centre, a public urinal was found in a dilapidated state with cracked concrete, exposed rusted reinforcement bars, and a damaged roof.
Civic officials cited several challenges in enforcing the sanitation laws. An anonymous NDMC official stated that enforcement teams frequently face resistance and aggression from people who refuse to cooperate. Meanwhile, an MCD official explained that many offenders are visitors from outside Delhi who do not carry identity documents or proof of residence, making it difficult to initiate legal action or recover fines.
