While the centres provide toilets, bathrooms and drinking water, those who cannot afford washing machines can wash their clothes here; three of the six centres have the ‘laundries,’ others will get them
The under-construction Suvidha kendra at Dharavi which will have 111 toilet seats, will also have a laundry. Pics/Pradeep Dhivar
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) community centres (Suvidha kendra) that provide toilets, bathrooms, and drinking water, also have 'laundries' – washing machines – for those who cannot afford them. While the Ghatkopar and Andheri community centres already have washing machines, the one at G North ward (Dharavi) that will have one of the largest community toilets with 111 seats when it is opened, will also have them, as will the remaining centres.
The BMC, in partnership with private organisations, is constructing the largest community toilet at Dharavi, in a community centre, which will be opened for use by the end of October. As per the initial plans, the target is to attract a large number of people from the slums who can use the facilities at a marginal amount of about R 150 per household per month. A community-based organisation appointed by the BMC will operate it.
A civic official said, “As this will be the largest project with 111 toilet seats, we expect it will be used by people residing around it, and we will also take care of the maintenance closely, as the community-based organisation will look after it.”
The community centres which provide clean and hygienic facilities like toilets, bathrooms, drinking water, are in various places in the city. They were built under the joint project to set up a total of 6 in Mumbai under public-private partnerships including HSBC and Hindustan Unilever.
The first centre was inaugurated on November 19, 2016 at Azad Nagar, Ghatkopar (West), following which the Malvani, Andheri east, Govandi and Kurla centres came up. The one at Jagdusha Nagar in Ghatkopar (West), the last one, was inaugurated on Friday by Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray. The environmentally friendly, two-storey centre is the first community centre in Mumbai to recycle toilet water. It has a total of 38 toilet seats.
While talking at its inauguration ceremony, civic chief, Iqbal Singh Chahal, said, “This initiative for community health and sanitation in urban settlements is exemplary not only in India but also considering other cities of the world.”
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