BMC to maintain toilets constructed by MHADA

The state government has ordered for transfer of ownership of at least 70,000 toilets seats from The Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) to the civic body. The move is aimed for better maintainance of these toilets.

This decision were taken in a meeting that was conducted in September 2017 under the supervision of Chief Secretary and it was attended by officials from the MHADA, BMC and both Central and Western Railways.

The meeting aimed at reducing the red tape involved in funding for the maintenance of the public toilets. One of the startling facts that came to the fore was that there are atleast 1 lakh units that are not utilized optimally.

There are at least 70,000 odd toilet seats owned by MHADA and it is set to be transferred to the civic body for better maintainance. The civic body funds would be used for their up keeping.

“MHADA does not have specific funds for the maintainance of the toilets. Hence, a decision was taken for the transfer of ownership so that the toilets constructed by MHADA are in a better condition,” said a MHADA official.

A total of at least 9450 toilet seats were found to be in a poor condition. The Chief Secretary has gives a deadline of January 31, 2018 for Mhada to repair and refurbish them and later hand over to the civic body.

“We are conducting a joint survey of these toilet structures with the civic body officials. We will complete the survey by mid-January,” added the official.

The BMC has been asked to identify chronic defecation spots in the city and to build at least 12,000 more toilet seats. Both WR and CR have also been roped into the project. The railways will conduct survey on the whole of its suburban section and will submit a report on the findings in a fortnight. The railways will also have to build toilet blocks at the chronic spots they will identify.