Civic body promises toilet blocks of international standards, but at extra cost
Express news service
Posted online: Tuesday , November 20, 2007 at 12:00:00
Updated: Tuesday , November 20, 2007 at 12:10:35
Mumbai, November 19 If relieving oneself urgently at one of the city’s pay and use ‘Public Sanitary Complexes’ is a nightmare, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) promises it won’t be the same in future. Toilet blocks with quality wash basins, water taps, mirror, hand dryer, tissue papers along with deodorants to emanate a pleasant odour will soon be replacing the existing dingy, foul smelling and filthy PSC’s in the city. The civic body plans to bring in this change by allowing advertisement rights at these toilet blocks. However, citizens will be expected to pay more for using such blocks.
Instead of the regular pay and use toilet blocks where user charges were Re 1 for toilet and Rs 2 for bath (urinal for free), the new international standard toilet blocks will charge one rupee extra with user charges of Rs 2 for toilet and Rs 3 for bath (urinal free).
The civic administration will now allow construction, operation and maintenance of ‘pay and use’ public toilets by NGOs, community-based organisations, organisations with 50 per cent advertisement rights and those of international standards. The proposal for allowing this will be tabled at the Improvement Committee on Wednesday.
Currently, there are 1,300 toilet blocks operated by NGOs and private institutions, which are inadequate and not maintained properly. Additional Municipal Commissioner (city) R A Rajeev agreed that there was a shortage of ‘pay and use’ toilet blocks. “By giving advertisement rights we are hopeful of setting international toilet blocks and involving more corporate houses,” he said.
Recently, the civic body allowed construction of ‘pay and use’ toilet blocks to Fumes International with 100 percent advertisement rights, but there are many other NGOs and other private institutions willing to provide same facilities as Fumes and give 50 per cent revenue to the BMC. The proposal states that for ‘pay and use’ toilet blocks of international standards, the organisation will pay 50 per cent revenue earned through advertisement through display boards/hoardings.
According to the manual guidelines on ‘pay and use’ toilet blocks, BMC will lease out the area to the organisation for 10 years at the rate of Re 1 per sq meter per annum. These toilet blocks will be made of granite stones/tiles with ceramic tile flooring and coloured paver blocks. Greenery and potted plants will be maintained on 10 feet area around the toilet block.