Ladies’ loo or lunch stop? BMC pink toilet converted into cafe, sparks hygiene concerns

The Mahilasathi Swacchatagruha bus, where snacks are sold on Fashion Street, near Cross Maidan. PIC/ASHISH RAJE

An eatery is being run from the rear end of a motorable toilet for women operated by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on the ‘Fashion Street' stretch of Mahatma Gandhi Road near Azad Maidan in Fort. The civic body had established such Mahilasathi Swacchatagruha buses primarily to provide women with basic restroom facilities, but this ‘café' is believed to have been functioning for at least a year.

Asked whether the establishment had the necessary approvals, a shopkeeper referred us to the "boss of the shop", Geeta Mehar. The latter stated, "I look after the shop part-time, and I also work in the office of the local corporator Makarand Narwekar. A few police personnel have questioned me about the legitimacy of my shop, but I told them what I am telling you - I have been approved by Makarand sir to manage this place. Recently, I received a letter from him confirming this."

The Mahilasathi Swacchatagruha bus, where snacks are sold on the Fashion Street stretch of Mahatma Gandhi Road near Azad Maidan. PIC/ASHISH RAJE

Mehar, however, claimed that she did not possess any permissions and licences, and that these documents were with the corporator. "When I asked Makarand sir about these documents, he told me to tell whoever was asking to take a look at them in his office," said Mehar.

MLA's response to mid-day's query about his letter

Rahul Narwekar said, "My recommendation was for her to be considered only as an applicant, within the rules and regulations. It does not mean that she should be considered without any valid permissions. I am not aware why it [the shop] is functioning and who is allowing it to function. This is for the BMC to take care of." Addressing Mehar's claims regarding Makarand Narwekar, the MLA stated, "How can anyone have the licences to her stall? Her claim has no merit. If anyone is taking our name and doing something illegal, we appeal to the public not to tolerate this. We do not encourage any activity that is beyond the law."

Letter signed by legislator

The letter signed by the MLA

The letter did not directly establish the legitimacy of Mehar as the owner/tenant/operator of the shop. The letter, dated March 28, 2026, was on the letterhead of and signed by Rahul S Narwekar, a BJP MLA and Makarand Narwekar's elder brother. "She has been managing the ladies toilet/pink toilet/canteen thereof (sic)," reads the letter, while referring Mehar to the BMC's A ward officer, requesting him to "kindly assist her in her issues."

BJP MLA Rahul Narwekar. FILE PIC/SHADAB KHAN

No reply

mid-day made multiple attempts to contact those concerned. Queries seeking clarity on the shop's status were sent to the assistant commissioner (via email and WhatsApp) and Makarand Narwekar (via voicemail and SMS), but no response was received by press time.

The BMC's initiative

The BMC, under this initiative of "toilet for her, on wheels", had repurposed scrapped BEST buses. After a pilot near Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus drew a positive response, the civic body expanded the initiative to busy zones like Fashion Street and Mantralaya. The pink-themed mobile toilets come equipped with multiple seats, changing rooms, sanitary pad vending machines, and dedicated breastfeeding spaces.

Shopper Speak

Tupliya Singh, college student
‘There's zero need for this shop here. Washrooms are scarce, and eateries can be operated at any other place'

Sylvester Silveira, tourist visiting South Mumbai
‘Washroom in the front and stall in the rear… This is a hygiene issue. Women might also feel uneasy with this setting, as there's noise, and the shop must have male customers sitting close by. This setup is not needed'

Urmi Mungale, Worli resident
‘It's tough to find decent and safe washrooms. This BMC-run one is an exception. It's clean, and we can easily access it. But then there's this shop behind it'