As sheets of rain continue to fall over Chennai, turning streets slushy and daily routines uncertain, a small group of people moves quietly through this chaos with a purpose that doesn’t waver. In Package 1, Dr. RSB’s sanitation workers clocked in 100% attendance — they reported for duty long before most of us stepped out. Rainwater seeps into their shoes, wind pushes against their umbrellas, and yet their rhythm stays steady.
They clean, they scrub, they repair. And in doing so, they hold together one of the city’s most essential public services — our restrooms.
A Day That Doesn’t Pause
The work they do rarely shows up in headlines. But it shows up in the dignity with which a commuter uses a toilet at a bus stand, in the relief of a woman who finds a clean restroom during an emergency, and in the safety of children who depend on public amenities.
These workers unclog drains filled with rainwater and waste, manage high-footfall toilets that see hundreds of users a day, and keep restrooms functioning through leaks, overflow, and power cuts. They do it silently, without demanding thanks. But the city leans heavily on them.
What We Owe Them
Public restrooms don’t stay clean by magic. They stay clean when the people who use them behave as though they belong to all of us.
Keep the restroom clean after you use it.
A small act for one person, but a stark difference for someone cleaning hundreds of stalls a week.
Do not vandalize.
A broken tap or stolen fitting is not an inconvenience to the system — it is a burden for the next user and for the worker who must repair it in the rain.
Treat sanitation workers with dignity.
A nod of acknowledgement, a “thank you,” even a few seconds of patience — these gestures carry far more weight than we think.
These are not just workers. They are the frontline of public health. And they deserve the city’s respect.
Elsewhere in the City: Building for Tomorrow
While Package 1 (Zones 5, 6, and Marina, managed by Dr. RSB) continues to hold the fort, teams under Package 2 (Zones 1, 2, 3 & 4 by Sumeet Creator), Package 3 (Zones 7, 8, 9 excluding Marina, and Zone 10 by Urban PCT Three – Ferrgra), and Package 4 (Zones 11, 12, 13, 14 & 15 by Sumeet Creator) are immersed in extensive renovation and construction activities across their respective zones.
New foundations are being laid, ageing structures are being restored, and designs are being modernised to align with the evolving needs of a growing Chennai.
Though the rains may slow progress in certain pockets, the work does not pause.
Chennai’s sanitation infrastructure is being rebuilt steadily — piece by piece, zone by zone.
Guidance From the Ground Up
None of this — neither the day-to-day operations nor the long-term construction — happens in isolation. The Greater Chennai Corporation’s Commissioner, Joint Commissioner (Health), Special Projects Department Technical Team, Regional Deputy Commissioner, Zonal Officers, and the Independent Engineer (third-party monitoring agency) have collectively been steering these efforts with consistency, even when weather and ground realities pull in the opposite direction.
Their support has ensured that the DBFOT-HAM public convenience toilet management project stays on track.
The City’s Hands Are Also on This Work
For concessionaires managing operations and construction, citizen cooperation is not a “nice to have” — it is crucial. A restroom can be built with modern fittings and smart systems, but its success depends on how people use it.
A city’s sanitation story is shaped not only by its workers and its administration, but by its citizens.
Chennai’s workers are doing their part, even in the harshest rains. The administration is doing its part, with guidance and supervision.Construction teams are building for the future.
Now, the city must do its part too.
