Private associations to clean public toilets in markets

After the South civic body admitted its inefficiency in keeping the public toilets in market areas clean, they have decided to engage resident welfare associations (RWA) and market associations to ensure hygienic public toilets. The public-private-partnership (PPP) scheme will also generate more revenue for the civic body, claims the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC). "On account of the heavy foot fall in the markets, the sanitation staff sometimes finds it difficult to maintain the toilets," an SDMC official said.

Until now, the department of environment management services (DEMS) was responsible for the maintenance of the toilet blocks. "The corporation will bear all the cost of sanitation and the associations are allowed to collect nominal usage charges from the public. However, the advertisement rights on these public toilets will remain with the SDMC,” said a senior SDMC official.

The SDMC will auction the wall space within and outside the complex for the purpose of advertising. “It will be a departure from initiatives in the past where the advertisement rights were given to private players who got into an agreement with the corporation to maintain the toilet blocks,” the official said.

However, there had been complaints that the toilets were not properly managed even though the companies earned high profits through advertisements, an official said. The SDMC hopes that the new policy will take care of this issue.