Mumbai rolls out ‘aspirational’ toilets at key city hotspots

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has introduced seven ‘aspirational’ public toilets across South Mumbai, offering upgraded amenities at high-footfall locations like Banganga Tank and Fashion Street. With Rs 70 crore funding, the civic body now plans to expand the concept by constructing 67 similar facilities in suburban areas

BMC builds premium pay-and-use ‘aspirational’ toilets, plans 67 more across suburbs

The aspirational toilet in the Banganga Tank area in the Walkeshwar Temple complex in South Mumbai. PICS/ASHISH RAJE

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BMC builds premium pay-and-use ‘aspirational’ toilets, plans 67 more across suburbs

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To endow public toilets with features on a par with those in office complexes and shopping malls, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has built seven ‘aspirational’ toilets at places that are visited by tourists and devotees in the island city. The civic body plans to build 67 such facilities in the suburbs over the next year.

The men’s section, which is partially monitored by a CCTV camera

In South Mumbai, these toilets are located at high-footfall areas that are important from a tourism, heritage, or religious perspective, with key locations chosen including the historic Banganga Tank area near the 900-year-old Walkeshwar Temple; Fashion Street, a popular shopping destination; and Vidhan Bhavan and Lion’s Gate in Colaba. Visitors must pay Rs 5 to use these facilities, but there is no additional cost for using their amenities, such as sanitary pad vending machines.

The women’s section, which includes a sanitary napkin vending machine and a space for feeding babies. PIC/ASHISH RAJE

Kiran Dighavkar, deputy municipal commissioner, in charge of the solid waste management department, said, “Locations in South Mumbai were selected in the first phase based on space. Colaba has daytime and nighttime footfall of around 40 lakh and two lakh, respectively. We have conducted a survey and shortlisted 67 locations in the suburbs where such toilets will be constructed.”

The aspirational toilet in the Banganga Tank area in the Walkeshwar Temple complex in South Mumbai. PICs/BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Teen sawaal: Kiran Dighavkar, deputy municipal commissioner

What are aspirational toilets?
They are basically pay-and-use toilets, constructed after demolishing existing pay-and-use ones. There are a total of 787 such pay-and-use toilets in Mumbai, of which we have converted seven in the island city into aspirational toilets. Such high-end toilets were earlier called VIP or special toilets. The latest term was coined under SBM 2.0 as a means to show how we should aspire to make all community toilets.

What were the criteria for setting up these facilities?
There is no limit on how many such toilets can be constructed in Mumbai. We received aid of Rs 70 crore for their construction. However, since space is a challenge, BMC started with South Mumbai, as this area also sees a high footfall daily. After a survey, we selected 67 suburban spots where such toilets will be constructed.

What challenges has the BMC faced?
Space is a huge challenge when constructing toilets in Mumbai. We have also had to deal with the overall idea among citizens and the prospective target audience about the need to use any available space for a toilet — as the belief is that “if we have space, we can make something else”. We have had to rely on public footpaths to host our aspirational toilets so far. Another challenge is long-term viability from the maintenance point of view; but these toilets are a requirement for any city.

Features of Mumbai’s aspirational toilets

>> Toilet for disabled with European toilet seats for male, female, and Transgender persons
>> Changing room, baby feeding facility for women, as per the space available
>> Hand dryers, sanitary napkin, vending and burning machines
>> CCTV cameras in community spaces
>> Fire extinguishers
>> UV digital printing that’s visible in dark
>> Maintenance room
>> Solar panels
>> Overhead water tanks
>> Electric duct
>> Fire duct