Balewadi gets 1st upcycled loo for women

Pune: As part of its mission, Pune Smart City Development Corporation installed a smart washroom for women on Thursday.
Set up at SAI Chowk in Balewadi, the toilet ditches the traditional brick and mortar set up as it is made out of a shipping container instead. With enough effort taken to ensure cross-ventilation, the toilet does not require an exhaust fan.

Mayor Mukta Tilak inaugurated the toilet on the occasion of International Women’s Day. Several girls that study at a school run by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) were present on the occasion.

“We want to make public toilets accessible and safe for women. This project is different as it is also committed towards protecting the environment by using discarded shipping container. We plan to build 20 such toilets in the Smart City area and eventually reach the 100 mark,” Tilak said.

The Pune Smart City Development Corporation Limited (PSDCL) plans to assign a security guard and cleaning staff at the facility. The toilets will be cleaned at least three-four times a day.

Architect Jugal Mistri, who designed the toilet, said that the prefabricated structure was put together at a factory and then finally installed at the site.

“We have tried our best to decrease the carbon footprint by using a shipping container. Also, all the lights are LEDs, which will be powered by solar panels fitted on the roof of the toilet,” Mistri said.

Though the idea is to have a solar-powered toilet, currently the lights are working on electricity. The toilet is also fitted with sanitary napkin dispenser along with tissue dispenser.

A closed-circuit television CCTV camera has been installed outside the structure to monitor the entrance of the toilet. It is also facilitated with a ramp to make it accessible for the physically challenged.