Bengaluru, often celebrated for its vibrant shopping destinations, has found itself in the midst of a heated debate following a recent Reddit post that went viral. A Reddit user shared an experience at a popular mall in Whitefield, revealing a restroom policy that has sparked outrage online.
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The post highlights how the mall’s ground-floor restroom is now restricted to “VIP” status, allowing access only to customers who present a shopping bill of at least ₹1,000. The incident has stirred questions about accessibility, class divides, and the condition of other restrooms in the mall.
VIP restroom denies access without ₹1,000 bill
DeskKey9633, the original poster, explained how they travelled from Church Street specifically to shop at this mall, only to be denied access to the ground-floor restroom for not meeting the ₹1,000 shopping bill requirement. The shopper recounted the frustrating experience of being redirected to restrooms on other floors, only to find them in an unsatisfactory state.
"Those restrooms were in terrible condition. With so many people being redirected, the toilets were poorly maintained and many flushes weren’t working," the user shared. They further expressed disbelief at the policy, adding that in an emergency, being forced to search for a usable restroom could be overwhelming.
{{/usCountry}}"Those restrooms were in terrible condition. With so many people being redirected, the toilets were poorly maintained and many flushes weren’t working," the user shared. They further expressed disbelief at the policy, adding that in an emergency, being forced to search for a usable restroom could be overwhelming.
{{/usCountry}}The shopper questioned the legality of such a policy and raised concerns about it contributing to an "unnecessary social divide."
Online reactions pour in
The post, which quickly gained traction, ignited a flood of responses from users who shared similar frustrations. One user commented, “This is so true. There is a lady security guard who stops people from entering and asks the people to pay and get some kind of pass. Is that a golden toilet washroom or what? To keep it hidden from ordinary poor people like us.” Another user echoed these sentiments, saying, “Earlier they used to have a mandatory voluntary donation of ₹20 for accessing the washroom. I guess they’ve removed that.” A third expressed disbelief at the entire situation, adding, "I can't believe this is happening in 2024. What’s next, VIP elevators?"
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Several users also expressed anger at the poor maintenance of the alternative restrooms. One user stated, “The toilets on other floors are gross. It’s not fair to charge people for using a clean restroom when the rest are so unhygienic.”
Another added, “This is a clear example of discrimination. Everyone should have equal access to basic facilities, no matter what they’re buying.”
Some were more lighthearted, with one user joking, “So do you get a ₹1,000 experience with every flush, or what?”