Mumbai: First Suvidha Facility To Provide Hygiene And Sanitation Solutions Opens In Ghatkopar, 10 Centres To Be Established Across City; See Pics

Mumbai’s first Suvidha facility, which is a water, hygiene and sanitation community center to provide hygiene and sanitation solutions to low-income households, was launched in Ghatkopar on Thursday. A joint collaboration between the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, Hindustan Unilever (HUL) and JSW Foundation plans to establish 10 Suvidha centres in Mumbai.

As a part of strategic partnership between HUL and JSW Foundation to establish 10 Suvidha centres in Mumbai, the first such facility was launched in Ghatkopar’s Jagruti Nagar on Thursday. This initiative is built on the successful Suvidha Model initiated by HUL in 2016, which currently operates 17 centres in partnership with the BMC and HSBC India and impacts over 4.50 lakh people annually.

Suvidha centre offers inclusive, safe, hygienic and odour-free toilets for women, children, men, specially-abled. These solar powered centres also provides shower facilities, handwashing stations, clean drinking water, laundromat services and sanitary napkin dispensers in women’s toilet.

The Suvidha centres are designed to address the comprehensive hygiene, and sanitation needs of low-income communities, offering all essential services under one roof. The approach is built around human-centric design, providing safety to women and children. These facilities is claimed to lead to improved health outcomes among users. 

The new centre is expected to benefit an additional 20,000 people, providing access to safe toilets that run 24x7, purified drinking water, showers, and laundry services at affordable rates. To ensure safety of the women using the facility, the washrooms are equipped with a ‘panic button’ for emergencies. HUL and JSW Foundation will also run a comprehensive behaviour change program in the communities around the centre to ensure improvement in individual and overall community health.

Sashidhar Vempala, chief sustainability officer at Hindustan Unilever, said, “This marks a significant milestone in our commitment to providing safe and dignified sanitation services to underserved communities in the city. This partnership not only expands access to essential hygiene facilities but also embodies our dedication to sustainability and community empowerment.”

Ashwini Saxena, CEO of JSW Foundation said, “Our partnership with HUL and BMC to set up the Suvidha Centres reflect JSW Foundation’s commitment towards empowering the local communities with a focus on the safety and welfare of women and children. We believe this partnership will go a long way in ensuring equitable access to quality and affordable sanitation facilities for the people of Mumbai.”