The municipal administration of Krishnagiri is on the verge of
finalising on the mobile toilet model that would soon replace the
existing pay-to-use toilet at Krishnagiri new bus stand. The model once
finalised, will ring in new free-of-cost, water efficient mobile toilets
in five different locations within Krishnagiri municipality by the
first week of May.

“For now, we have proposed to set up the
toilets in the new bus stand, old bus stand, coronation ground,
Krishnagiri government hospital and the municipality park,” says
Municipal Commissioner Kannan.

The toilet is being estimated at
Rs. 72,000 per unit. The municipality has been assured of funds from the
MLA’s local area development fund. Each unit envisions four urinals for
men, and four toilets for women. “We have drawn from the experiences of
other toilets in bus stands, where half covered toilets are of little
to no use.”

The portable toilet model will be made of stainless
steel frame and fibre sheet, with intermittent transparent sheet on the
roof to allow natural light. The portable toilets will, however, be
fully covered so that they are not rendered useless during rains.

To
make the toilets more cost-effective in terms of lighting and drainage,
the toilets will be set up, wherever possible, under the lighting
provided by an existing street light and will be set up over the
existing drainage channel. “For instance, the mobile toilet will be set
up on the drainage platform at Krishnagiri government hospital, which at
present does not have a proper toilet facility for visitors and
outpatients,” says the Commissioner. Since, most of the drains are
linked under the underground drainage system, this would be more
cost-effective, he says.

However, once the first five toilet units
are put in place, the toilets will be set up in 20 other locations
within the municipality limit.

The model will be finalised by this
week, and they are planned in such a way that they are easily portable,
when the space will have to make way for a new construction.