500 defunct toilets in Chennai to get a makeover

According to a study done by Chennai Corporation, the civic body is maintaining over 800 public toilets in the city, out of which only 290 public toilets are found to be in good condition. 

“Thus, it is proposed to improve the public toilets by increasing the seating capacity, improving the quality of toilet fittings, and facilitating water supply for all the toilets,” a Chennai Corporation document said.

An official said a tender has been floated recently to invite expression of interest (EoI) to invite proposals from companies to retrofit, operate and maintain existing public toilets. In the first phase, as many as 142 toilets have been selected.

“The aim is to convert all the defunct free public sanitation facilities to modern, women, differently-abled and child-friendly toilets with uninterrupted water, electricity, cleanliness, hygiene, and comfort by leveraging the commercial value of the space,” he added.

Though the toilets will be upgraded and maintained by private parties, the civic body assures that user fees will not be collected as the private firms can generate revenue from advertisements. Recently, the civic body floated a tender to construct 62 smart toilets under a similar public-private partnership.