BMC Budget 2023: Mumbai civic body to build 20,000 new toilets this year

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has planned to construct 20,000 new toilets in 2023-24 under the slum sanitation programme.

Additionally, around 3,000 toilets constructed in the slums by the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) will be operated and maintained by the BMC.

According to the Swachh Bharat Mission norms, the slum pockets should have one toilet for 35 males and 25 females. However, Mumbai has one community toilet seat per 42 males and 34 females.

Also, there is a lack of adequate public toilets for the transit population on the eastern and western highways. So the BMC has planned to build more toilets to match the user and toilets ratio.

Modern toilets under pay and use model

Accordingly, around 20,000 toilet seats were reconstructed in Lot-11 under the slum sanitation programme. The civic body has announced the construction of 20,000 new toilets under Lot-12 in its budget for 2023-24.

The BMC has also undertaken works to construct modern toilet facilities under the 'pay and use' model in wards located along the highway.

The BMC had floated a proposal to take over all public and community toilets from MHADA under the Swacch Bharat Mission in 2018.

A survey in this regard was carried out by the contractor appointed by the BMC. “The report said that most of the toilets are in dilapidated condition. So now we will overtake 3,000 toilets constructed by MHADA and will operate and maintain them,” said a civic official.