Just 2 out of 8 proposed toilets functional on Vizag-Araku route

VISAKHAPATNAM: Out of eight toilets that were supposed to be constructed at petrol bunks on the Vizag-Araku route, only two have been inaugurated so far. The tourist season is on full swing, but the project is yet to be completed.
The district administration had initiated the project more than six months ago for upgrading amenities at selected petrol bunks on the way from NAD Kotha Road to Araku Valley for the convenience of tourists.There were no public toilet facility on the entire route earlier and the public, especially women, were greatly inconvenienced.
After identification of outlets, meetings were conducted in May and July with managers of oil companies and it was explained to them that the government is trying its best to promote tourism and therefore basic amenities including toilets and drinking water should be provided.
So far, according to the district tourism department, construction works for five toilets have been completed in five petrol bunks and two of them have been inaugurated. The ones inaugurated are at Tejaswani Filling Station of IOCL at Vepagunta and Vasavi Filling Station of HPCL near Kothavalasa. The three other toilets at Bharat Petroleum petrol bunks near Bhashyam College, Vivekananda College and Borra Caves are yet to start functioning even though civil works are said to have been completed. However, works on three toilets at HPCL Filling Station and IOCL Filling Station at S Kota and HPCL outlet at Seetharampuram village are yet to be completed.
“As per proposals of the district administration, all the toilets should be modernised uniformly by maintaining uniform colour for easy identification and to beautify the amenities. Initial infrastructure cost has to be borne by the respective dealers/oil companies in the interest of tourists and further maintenance will be supported by the government,” said city-based environmentalist Sohan Hatangadi who is also a member of Vizag tourism sub-committee and district tourism promotion council. He had suggested to the tourism department a check list of amenities that the toilets should have. “Not just construction, but cleanliness of the toilets and availability of consumables should be taken care of as well. Sign boards along the road should be prominent enough for people to know that the facility is available at a petrol bunk nearby.”
According to the tourism department, they have spent Rs 75,000 on sign boards at the outlets and they are spending Rs 1 lakh (Rs 1,000 per toilet per month) for supplying consumables at the toilets.