South Delhi gets first pink toilet for women
Access to clean toilets is a big problem for women. We will start inviting applications from people desirous of opening such facilities in their area. This will go a long way in instilling a sense of security among women in using public toilets. KAMALJEET SEHRAWAT, SDMC mayor
To help women and girls access hygienic washrooms in busy markets, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation inaugurated the first ‘pink toilet’ in Vikaspuri on Wednesday.
The first-of-its-kind facility, which opened on the occasion of the International Day for the Girl Child, has vending machines for sanitary napkins, incinerator facilities and feeding area for breastfeeding mothers.
SDMC mayor Kamaljeet Sehrawat said that the toilet has been opened at a place that witnesses a substantial footfall of womenand girls.
“The market adjoining PVR Vikaspuri is a major shopping centre where a large number of women come everyday to buy items of day-to-day requirement. But they always face problems in accessing hygienic toilets with facilities for sanitary napkins and their safe disposal,” said Sehrawat .
“The pink toilet was much needed at this place but it important that the users should keep the facility clean for the next user,” she said.
The civic agency aims to open more such toilets in order to provide a convenient safe place in markets flooded with visitors and customers.
“We will start inviting applications from people desiring to open such facilities in their area. This will go a long way in instilling a sense of security among women and girls in using public toilets,” Sehrawat said.
The SDMC was the first civic agency among the three municipal corporations in city to make the access to toilets in hotels and restaurants free for women and children in May.
It had directed all the petrol pumps to offer similar facilities. This move has made more than 4,000 toilets accessible to the public.
The civic agencies resolved this May that there will be enough public toilets to prevent people from defecating in the open.
They announced to achieve the target by October 2, the day Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the cleanliness drive three years ago.
However, they have not been able to meet targets.
Besides, new toilets, maintenance of existing loos is a major problem. Most of the loos are so poorly maintained that people are not able to use them.
Several Delhi markets lack public conveniences, specially for women. Hindustan Times had recently reported about the lack of toilets for women at Chandni Chowk, where a large number of shoppers are women.