The project is funded via the Corporate Social Responsibility initiative, with no cost to the PMC. (File) The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) will review implementation of the ‘Ti’ toilet facility — an initiative to install mobile toilets for women by revamping scrapped PMPML buses — before giving a go-ahead for the next step of the project.
Currently, 11 ‘Ti Toilets’ are located at prominent places across the city and each of the toilets has a sanitary pad disposal machine, toilet seat sanitiser and hand sanitiser. The project is funded via the Corporate Social Responsibility initiative, with no cost to the PMC. A private agency named Saraplast was given the responsibility to execute the project on a pilot basis in 2018.
However, the contract with the private agency got over and it was decided to seek quotation for further execution of the project. Two agencies applied for it, with Saraplast quoting monthly expenditure of Rs 18,000 per bus and the other agency, Narale Construction, quoting Rs 3,60,000 for a year to operate the 11 ‘Ti Toilet’ facilities.
Saraplast has said that since there are two compartments in each of the ‘Ti’ Toilet buses, with only one of them having a toilet and wash basin, the second compartment can be used for selling tea, coffee and cold drinks. It also wants to raise revenue by putting up advertisements on the buses, and introducing a ‘pay and use’ toilet system.
“There is a proposal for selling tea, coffee and cold drinks on the ‘Ti’ Toilet bus. Also, the PMC will not bear any cost of the facility. We may consider allowing Saraplast agency to execute the project,” said Municipal Commissioner Vikram Kumar in the proposal.
He said the agency should be allowed to maintain the 11 ‘Ti’ Toilet buses with permission to raise revenue through advertising on buses, selling tea, coffee, cold drinks, and making the toilet a ‘pay and use’ facility.
However, local residents had raised objections after it was found that samosa and vada pav were being sold at one of the ‘Ti’ toilet facilities in Baner, citing health-related concerns.
“The women and child welfare committee has decided to personally visit a few of the Ti toilets to ensure that they are in good condition and contain all the facilities as stated by the administration. We want to provide good facilities to women as the Ti toilets are the need of the day, but they should be in the best condition,” said Rupali Dhadwe, chairperson of the committee.
If needed. the committee would give further suggestions to improve the condition of the ‘Ti’ toilet facility, she said.
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