In a unique protest, Vijay Malusare, a Kandivli resident and local Shiv Sena party worker, has put out a hoarding announcing a public exhibition of toilets. The 20-seat ground plus one-storey toilet block built in Kandivli’s Shravan Nagar slum at a whopping cost of Rs 1.40 crore, is currently in poor shape, with roofs leaking, no electricity and doors damaged, among other things.

Locals have also levelled significant allegations of corruption and bungling in the construction of the toilets. Tired of vague responses from the local corporator and BMC authorities, Malusare decided to protest by erecting a hoarding urging BMC officials and the general public to visit the nearby toilet block. “There has been no electricity in the toilets for the past two months now. Doors are damaged, and there is a leakage from the roof. This will worsen now that the monsoon is approaching. These toilets were completed and inaugurated with much fanfare just last year. No one will believe looking at the condition of these toilets that it was built at a cost of Rs 1.40 crore. This seems to be some sort of scam under the Swacch Bharat programme,” said Malusare.