Gurgaon civic body to construct underground toilets on vacant land

According to figures given by the civic body, MCG has a total of 3,660 acres of land with 35 divisions and 48 villages under its jurisdiction. Of the total land, the corporation has about 475 acres of vacant land in old and new Gurgaon, a part of which will be used for the project. The tender for the project will be floated after two weeks for private contractors, once the concept plan and cost of the project is ready.

According to officials, the underground toilet space will be given to stakeholders who will also be ready to operate, maintain and supervise these toilets directly. Shops will be constructed on the areas above the underground toilets, an official said.

As per the initial plan, the civic body will make toilets seats and bathing units on “one seat/unit per 50 users” basis for community toilets, while public toilets and bathing units that can be used at all hours will be built on “one seat per 100 users” and “one unit per 70 users”. Those toilets and units near market areas and offices, that will be open during working hours, will be constructed on “one seat per 100 users” and “one unit per 50 users” basis respectively, officials said.

Some of the features of the project include, separate bathing cubicles for men and women, separate areas for washing clothes, facility to store large volumes of water and waste-water disposal system, an official said.

“The toilets — both public and community — will be constructed on priority basis based on the BOT model. We are planning to construct 100 such toilets, of which 40 will be in old Gurgaon and 60 in new Gurgaon,” BS Singroha, Chief Engineer, MCG said.

The corporation has sent the project plan to Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) and has sought land on ‘change in land use’ (CLU) basis from HUDA. The corporation will also push for the project’s approval before the Model Code of Conduct sets in for the assembly polls, an MCG official said.