New Delhi, Jan 6: Smart public toilets equipped with rooftop solar panels, Wi-Fi, ATM, vending machines and water ATM facilities will soon be launched by the New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC).
The first toilet under the pilot project with new design will be launched on Rafi Marg near Parliament, said NDMC chairperson Naresh Kumar.
The green, VIP area serviced by the New Delhi Municipal Council is also the most frequented by foreign tourists and the modern toilet would help it get closer to its aspiration of showcasing itself as a “Smart City”.
An official said the design of the Wi-Fi equipped toilet was selected after a public competition among architects and urban planners.
The civic agency aspires to convert public toilets into public amenities centre. There are already 190 public toilet utilities available in NDMC areas spread over 43 sq km with a population of about 2.5 lakh as per 2011 census.
Naresh Kumar said while inviting proposals in the competition, the participants were told that the design should gel with monuments and heritage buildings in the area including India Gate, Rashtrapati Bhawan, Parliament, Supreme Court, Connaught Place, Jantar Mantar and bungalows designed by British architect Edwin Lutyens before Independence. He said 12 participants submitted their innovative design and ideas for the public toilet and the first prize carried a purse of Rs 1 lakh and the second prize, Rs 50,000. The first prize went to IndiGer Team.
The NDMC area is also being assessed for cleanliness as part of a competition among 75 cities under the Swachh Bharat Mission of the Central government.
Kumar interacted with the Ranking Survey Team and briefed its members about actions taken for good sanitation along with provision of public toilet units. He also shared the civic agency’s vision for making the NDMC area a Smart City by ramping up services in the field of providing civic amenities such as cleanliness, water supply, electricity, roads, sewers and e-governance.
The Ranking Survey Team also interacted with the senior officers of Public Health, Horticulture and Civil Engineering Departments of NDMC, a statement said.
The council will also showcase before the team its activities under the Swachh Bharat Mission.
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