The Hindu 29.10.2013
Toilets in 348 spots, with more ad space, soon
The Chennai Corporation will commission toilets in 348 spots across the city. Private players will design and build the toilets and maintain it for seven years. Residents will be able to use the toilets free of cost.
The civic body has invited international bids from companies to commission the facilities with large advertisement space. The inadequate advertisement space in toilets was a stumbling block for implementation of the project in the past. The new proposal includes permission for advertisement space measuring nine metre by three metre in each of the structures.
The civic body has split the project into four packages. Officials at each of the zones have marked the coordinates of the spots identified for the commissioning of toilets. Sites for new toilets have been identified based on inputs from residents in various localities.
“The new project will solve the problem of collection of charges at toilets by unauthorised persons,” said an official of Chennai Corporation.
A few months ago, the civic body conducted a survey of all 905 toilets across the 15 zones in the city, and found that only 551 were in good shape. As many as 294 toilets were partially damaged and 60 were completely dilapidated. A total of 874 are not pay-and-use facilities but most of the structures continue to have unauthorised persons collecting Rs.5 per person.
The Corporation had already said that all the existing toilets will be completely restored. Most of the 294 damaged public toilets in the city have been restored but maintenance remains poor in most structures. Some dilapidated structures will be demolished and reconstructed.
Residents will be able to use the toilets free of cost.
