High-tech toilets in ruins, Rs 9 lakh per unit down the drain

The smart itoilets introduced in 2019 across VasaiVirarNalasopara to provide advanced sanitation facilities are now in a state of disrepair Eight such units were installed in Vasai taluka with a contractor quoting R9 lakh per unit promising maintenance for 10 years However local activists accuse civic officials and the contractor of misusing taxpayer money and demand action against themThese hightech toilets featured a coinoperated mechanism automatic lighting audio instructions a panic button and a jet spray with customisable settings Clear signage instructed users to flush before and after use while a CCTV camera was installed for security primarily to prevent vandalism or theft The contractor was responsible for maintenance and covering water and electricity expensesPranic Enterprises a Nalasoparabased firm secured the contract through a tendering process by the Vasai Virar City Municipal Corporation VVCMC These smart itoilets were strategically placed in hightraffic areas such as bus stands and near police stations to enhance sanitation access However they have now fallen into neglectOfficials and the contractor blame drug addicts for destroying the CCTV cameras fixtures and even doors Yet neither the civic body nor the contractor filed a police complaint regarding theft or damage Consequently all units are now in a filthy state some with doors left open and essential fixtures missingJunaid Shaikh proprietor of Pranic Enterprises claimed the toilets were still in usemdashalbeit by drug addicts who do not require proper sanitation He alleged that local shopkeepers locked some units for personal use When asked for GPSenabled photos of any functional toilets he agreed but failed to provide them before press timeActivist speaksldquoAll these smart itoilets are in extremely bad shape but the civic officials have paid the contractor who has turned a blind eye to this setuprdquo said Terence Hendriques a local social activist based in VasaildquoThese toilets were made operational in 2019 but hygiene and sanitation were never the priority for the contractor who turned a blind eye to this public convenience after the VVCMC cleared his fundrdquo said Hendriques who has received the crucial information about these toilets from the municipal corporation through Right to Information ActldquoAccording to the contract letter it was the responsibility of the contractor to provide a separate supervisor and labour team for each ward Had a separate supervisor and labour team been appointed by the contractor these toilets would not have been in a bad shape todayrdquo added HendriquesContractor speaksThe contractor Junaid Shaikh said ldquoThe drug addicts have stolen the coin boxes from toilets whose doors have also been broken I installed eight smart itoilets but the municipal corporation has paid me only for six toilets Who will take responsibility for the pending amount I am already at a loss for taking on this projectrdquoldquoI have already written to VVCMC that it is really very difficult to maintain the toilets because people are stealing the coin boxes sensors and lights and doors are also damaged The thieves have also damaged the CCTV cameras installed at the head of each setuprdquo Shaikh told middayldquoIt is true that it was my responsibility to maintain the toilets but how can I maintain the toilets if the things are stolen from there I have already written multiple times to the municipal corporation that it is very difficult to maintain these toilets but I received no response from themrdquo added Shaikh who further said that he never approached the police station to register an FIR for the theft incidents at smart itoiletsCall for actionMeanwhile the social activist Hendriques said ldquoThe intention of VVCMC and the contractor was not to provide toilets to people but to divert the public money in the name of making smart itoilets Today the VVCMC as well as contractors accuse the mentality of local people as well as drug addicts of destroying the smart itoilets Were they not aware of their mentality before introducing the projectrdquo He has written a letter to VVCMC to immediately repair and restore all eight smart itoilets and demanded appropriate action against the contractor as well as the civic officials Civic body speaksA senior officer from VVCMC said ldquoThese toilets were made for the convenience of people The contractor has been given the responsibility to maintain the sanitation of these toilets and their security for 10 years In the past we had received complaints against these toilets as there were sanitation issues So we wrote two letters to the contractor on November 29 2021 and August 08 2022 asking him to properly maintain the hygiene and sanitation work at the toilets or else action will be takenrdquo ldquoIf people are complaining we will surely take action against the contractorrdquo said the officer requesting anonymity