Toilet upkeep: MMRDA trusts women’s NGOs

Mumbai’s metropolitan administration feels — and it might well be true — that women practised a higher sense of sanitation and hygiene than men, apart from being ‘loyal’ to the job.

Having burnt their fingers by trying out private builders and agencies for construction and maintenance of public toilets, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) officials have decided to rope in self-help groups and NGOs dominated by women.

MMRDA has resolve to construct 31,000 public toilets in the first phase of its Nirmal Abhiyan, that envisages construction of one lakh toilets across the entire urban swath under its jurisdiction within one-and-half-years.

To come up mainly along major arterial roads, highways and at public places within a year, the public toilet project has been handed over to NGOs for construction. These NGOs will also ensure participation of more and more women groups for their maintenance.

“After their construction, we will hand them over to self-help groups (SHG) dominated by women for maintaining them. Women are more punctual and sensitive towards sanitation. The NGOs will also impart training to women groups,” says Metropolitan administration Ratnakar Gaikwad. 

Recently, MMRDA authorised three NGOs to build 30,905 by December 2008 and maintain them through SHGs ruled by women. The funds for the construction would be provided by the authority. However, Mumbai and Navi Mumbai are exempt from this scheme as the respective civic bodies have their own plans in place for the purpose.