The Times of India 16.11.2010
MCD probe gives the nod to toilet-cum-coffee complexes
NEW DELHI: After months of debate on whether the MCD's toilet-cum-coffee complexes should be allowed to come up, nine such facilities may finally open in prime locations of the city.
A final inquiry report filed by a committee formed by the civic agency has given its nod to the complexes despite stiff opposition from various quarters. Leader of house Subhash Arya, who is part of the committee, said a final decision on the project would be taken once the report gets the mayor's approval.
Simultaneously, the designs of these complexes will have to be approved by a technical committee - as per the terms and conditions of the contract between the MCD and the executing companies - before they become functional.
MCD now plans to construct more such complexes after changing some of the clauses in the contract to make it more favourable to the civic agency.
'' This project is in the interest of the public. People will be able to use clean and well-maintained toilets by shelling out only Re 1. The committee formed by MCD has given its nod to the opening of the nine complexes. After changing a few terms and conditions of the contract so that they are in favour of MCD, we would like to construct more such complexes in the city,'' said sources in the MCD.
The nine complexes are located at Defence Colony, East of Kailash, Nehru Place, C R Park, Kailash Colony , GK-I's M and N blocks, Model Town and opposite Moolchand Hospital. In GKI's M-block market, the toilet complex has come up on land allotted by MCD for construction of a multi-level car parking. In the East of Kailash market, the complex is located within a park. Since the project has been dragging on for nearly a year, the time period of the financial bid has also come to an end. '' The decision-making process took so long that the time set for the financial bid has expired. If the nine companies involved in the project agree, we will start financial bidding again.
"In case they have problems , we will ask only these companies to participate in the bidding and the firm with the highest bid will be given the contract for construction of more complexes,'' said an MCD official.
The companies have also suffered huge losses due to the delay. Shilpi Saxena, chairperson and MD of Garuda Advertising Private Limited, which handled the Kailash Colony market project , said: '' We spent a lot of time and money on planning the project in the hope that we will bag more such contracts . This delay is causing a huge loss. The toilet constructed by us in Kailash Colony is functional as of now,'' said Saxena. Each company spent around Rs 3 crore in constructing these prototype toilets. MCD had earlier said 250 such complexes will be ready by the Commonwealth Games. However, only nine were constructed amid various controversies. '' When we invited tenders, we had given the companies 30 days to construct live models which would be examined by an expert committee. The sites were allotted to around 28 companies.
"Twenty firms did not even begin construction. As per the contract, the technical committee will give marks — mainly on design and financial backing of the company. The prototype that gets more than 70% marks will be given permission to construct more such complexes ,'' said an official. After protests by residents and MCD councillers against the project, many companies backed out. The LG's office had also asked MCD to review the viability of the project.
