Mysuru installs mirrored walls to deter public urination

The Mysuru City Corporation installed mirrors on a compound wall near a bus stand to discourage public urination [1, 2].

This initiative represents a psychological approach to urban sanitation by forcing individuals to confront their own reflection. By removing the anonymity typically associated with public urination, city officials said they aim to shift behavioral patterns and maintain the hygiene of public transit hubs ^[2].

The installation is part of the Swachh Survekshan cleanliness drive ^[2]. This national initiative focuses on improving waste management, and sanitation across Indian cities to raise overall public health standards.

The mirrored walls were placed in a suburban or rural area of Mysuru, Karnataka, specifically targeting zones near bus stands where open urination has been a persistent issue [1, 2]. The city is utilizing these reflective surfaces as a non-confrontational deterrent to ensure the compound walls remain clean.

Local officials have not released specific data regarding the cost of the installation or the exact number of mirrors deployed. However, the strategy has gained significant attention on social media after videos of the mirrored walls went viral ^[2].

This method aligns with other global "nudging" techniques where environmental changes are used to influence human behavior without the use of strict penalties or policing. By making the act of urinating visible to the person performing it, the city said it hopes to foster a sense of self-consciousness that leads to better civic habits [1, 2].