BMC chief assures more toilets for women in Mumbai

Taking note of the paucity of basic amenities for women in Mumbai, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner Ajoy Mehta today said the civic body will construct more public toilets for women in the city.

He also issued directives to conduct special inspection of contractors, who had taken up the task of building public toilets for women, but have failed to do so after MNS general secretary Shalini Thackeray raised the issue of absence of basic public amenities for women.

BMC chief Ajoy Mehta

The open spaces below flyover bridges would be utilised for constructing public toilets for women, Mehta said, adding there would be provision of water and electricity supply in the toilets.

"Further, the decision to build public toilets will be initiated during the council meetings held by the BMC. This will pave way for quick decision making process. Similarly, if people from a specific ward demand public toilets for their locality, the concerned ward officer should ensure implementation of the request," he said.

Mehta also said that sanitary napkins vending machines would also be installed at the premises of public toilets.

Meanwhile, Thackeray said public toilets are few in Mumbai, which is considered a smart city across the world. "Firstly, there are not enough public toilets for women across the city and secondly, if at all there is a public toilet, it is in deplorable and unhygienic conditions," she said.

"Majority of crowded localities in Mumbai fall under the jurisdiction of either the forest department or the district collector. Thus, the BMC adopts a negligent approach towards constructing new public toilets," she claimed.