No relief: Guwahati’s markets struggle without public toilets

In the bustling bazaars of Guwahati, where commerce hums from dawn till well after dusk, a silent but urgent crisis continues to plague both vendors and shoppers—the lack of public toilets in GMC-run markets.

Even as urban development projects are paraded with pride and cleanliness drives are celebrated, the city’s traders and customers are left with little dignity when it comes to one of the most basic human needs.

A walk through Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) markets—from Uzanbazar to Ganeshguri—reveals a common refrain among shopkeepers - no toilets, no relief.

“We set up our market early, at 5 am, and stay until as late as 10 pm. There are no toilet facilities in the GMC market area. We have to go home to use the toilet—and it’s even more difficult for the women,” said a vendor at the GMC market, frustration apparent in her voice.

Another shopkeeper echoed the sentiment, adding, “We need a toilet. It’s very essential—not just for us, but also for the customers who come to buy daily essentials from us.”

A dilapidated state of a ladies toilet (Photo: @AmitJamshed / X)

A daily struggle

The problem isn’t limited to one market. In Uzanbazar, one of Guwahati’s oldest and busiest market hubs, the situation is no better. A public toilet once existed there, but according to vendors, it was shut down due to illegal and unsafe activities.

“It has been demolished now,” said a shopkeeper from Uzanbazar. “Earlier, young boys used to take drugs inside the toilet, so it was shut down. We now go to the GMC office to use the toilet, but that’s not practical every time. Even though the market is close to the office, there’s no usable facility for us.”

Even more alarming, delivery workers and customers often ask to use a restroom—only to be turned away. “Even the company people who come to deliver supplies ask if they can use a toilet, but we have to tell them there isn’t one,” said another vendor.

It’s not just the traders who are affected. Customers too, especially the elderly and those with children, suffer in silence.

“It’s shocking that there are no toilets in such busy markets. Last week I brought my five-year-old daughter for shopping and had to leave early because she needed to use the toilet. Where are we supposed to go?” said Priyanka Dutta, a frequent shopper and resident of Silpukhuri.

The situation makes shopping a stressful task for many, especially women and senior citizens. “Markets are meant to be community spaces, but how can they function properly without basic sanitation?” she added.

A GMC pay and use toilet at its inauguration (Photo: @gmc_guwahati / X)

A gendered crisis

While the lack of public toilets is a general problem, it disproportionately affects women.

“Being a woman, it’s more difficult for us. There was a gents’ toilet here, but that too has been demolished. We women have to go home just to relieve ourselves,” said a woman shopkeeper, who doesn’t want to be named.

Such a situation is not only inconvenient but also dangerous—especially during the evening hours. “It’s exhausting and unsafe. There are times when we hold it in for hours. It’s humiliating, and it’s affecting our health,” added another woman vendor.

This glaring gap in public sanitation raises serious questions about the effectiveness of national cleanliness campaigns like Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.

“We men somehow manage, but it’s far more difficult for women and customers. If someone asks, we send them to the municipal office toilet—if it’s open. For the Swachh Bharat campaign to truly succeed, the government needs to provide toilets under the Swachh Bharat banner,” pointed out a vendor from Uzanbazar.

The contradiction is stark—posters and murals of Swachh Bharat adorn the streets, yet the absence of basic sanitation in public markets reveals how far the mission still has to go, especially in terms of execution.

GMC toilets: All talk, no toilets

Vendors say they have approached the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) multiple times about the issue, but the responses have amounted to little more than empty promises.

“There is no toilet in the market area. We once filed a complaint about it. The GMC officials kept saying they would help, but so far, there’s been no move towards building a toilet,” said a senior shopkeeper from Uzanbazar.

Another vendor remarked cynically, “The GMC office just knows how to collect money. They don’t do anything to develop the market.”

While vendors firmly maintain that there are no usable toilets in GMC-run markets, Guwahati Mayor Mrigen Sarania has dismissed these concerns.

According to him, all necessary facilities—including toilets—have already been provided in GMC markets. “No vendors have raised any such issues with me directly,” he said.

A locked GMC toilet under the Sixmile flyover (Photo: @pranzmajumder / X)

A call for dignity

Guwahati is growing—and so are its markets. With rising footfall, the need for essential infrastructure like public toilets can no longer be ignored. While authorities focus on smart parking lots and beautification drives, market vendors say it’s time to prioritise basic needs over cosmetic upgrades.

“This isn’t a luxury we’re asking for—it’s a necessity. We work hard, we serve the city. The least we expect is a place to relieve ourselves without shame,” said one vendor.

As Guwahati moves toward ‘smart’ development, it’s worth asking what really makes a city livable. It’s not just bright billboards or new flyovers, but basic human dignity. Sometimes, progress starts with something as simple as a clean, safe toilet.