A deluxe makeover is being planned for the biggest toilet block of the Central Railway’s suburban section at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT). Used by over 50,000 people every day, it currently has 48 urinal blocks for men, three Indian style toilets for men and four for women. After the new look, its capacity would increase by 35 per cent, a new exhaust system and an innovative cooling system without air-conditioning.
The tender for the project has already been awarded and work on it is likely to get completed by the end of this year. The renovation, costing Rs 90 lakh, will add three toilet blocks to the women’s section and 13 urinal clocks for men. In addition, five western style toilet blocks will also be added.
CSMT is one of the busiest railway stations in the city and also has a heritage value. Keeping in mind the architectural conservation it is undergoing, the toilets are being planned with some fresh air.
Senior CR officials said that instead of traditional air-conditioning, a new system will be used to circulate 100 per cent fresh and cool air. They said it will maintain a temperature of 24 degrees Celsius throughout the year.
For the project, additional space of over 100 square metres will be made available. Currently, the block is spread over 225 square metres. As for the cleaning arrangement, a system is already in place but the standards are difficult to maintain due to a huge number of users, officials said. “Hence the use of the new cooling system,” said an official.
