Kerala to roll out KLOO app to help travellers access clean toilets

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a first-of-its-kind initiative to create a statewide network of clean and accessible toilets, the Suchitwa Mission is set to launch KLOO, a mobile application that helps travellers easily locate public and private toilets across the state. The application, developed by a Bengaluru-based start-up, is all set to go live in December. According to Suchitwa Mission Executive Director U V Jose, the KLOO platform will bridge the gap in public sanitation infrastructure by bringing private establishments - particularly hotels and restaurants - into the fold. Public toilets in many areas are insufficient and many of them fail to meet hygiene standards. With KLOO, we are creating a network where people can access clean toilets every 15 kilometres along main travel corridors, he said. The project follows a public-private partnership model. Hotels and restaurants that register their facilities through KLOO will open their restrooms to the public while receiving free marketing visibility within the app. We held discussions with the hotel and restaurant associations, and they have extended full support. So far, around 500 establishments have already enrolled, and we aim to reach 1,000 in the initial phase, said U V Jose. Phase-wise rollout In the first phase, KLOO will focus on key transport corridors across the state - national highways, inter-district routes and tourist centres - ensuring at least one accessible toilet every 15 km. The second phase will expand coverage to more regions and introduce additional services such as food ordering options through the same platform. We want the public to first start using the app. Based on its success, we will integrate more services. All facilities listed on KLOO will be free of cost for users, U V Jose added. As part of the initiative, Suchitwa Mission has already conducted hygiene ratings for existing public toilets. The app will display these ratings, along with detailed information such as availability of differently-abled-friendly facilities, operating hours, gender-specific amenities, and whether the toilets are open to all or only to customers.