- None of the 24 e-toilets working now
- MCC to maintain only five for a year
Innovative solutions such as e-toilets (electronic/ eco toilets) installed in Mysuru city have failed to provide the desired results and it is literally money flushed down the toilets. All the e-toilets are rendered useless within a span of four years though they were launched with much fanfare in 2017-2018.
The Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) had constructed 24 e-toilets and Rs. 6.25 lakh was spent on each toilet. The overall cost of installing these portable, eco-friendly and GPRS-enabled hygienically maintained eco-toilets is 1.50 crore, apart from other overhead costs. These toilets functioned for only one year or so.
Initially, people used this toilet out of curiosity and they were impressed with how a toilet functions after inserting Re. 1 or Rs. 2 coins. Later they were scorned and people refused to use them, thanks to the complications in functionality.
People complained that despite inserting coins, the toilet doors do not open and even if the doors open, it stinks and users feel claustrophobic when they go inside. This has ironically forced many people to relieve themselves behind the e-toilets.
In 2017, the MCC made an attempt at a hi-tech solution to an age-old problem of open defecation and urinating by the sides of the roads by introducing e-toilets. A fully automated and GPS-equipped system to prevent misuse, e-toilets seemed the best solution for the menace.
The project was conceived with an aim to address the issues associated with traditional public toilets like non availability of water, power, manpower, lack of maintenance and sustainability. Coin system was adopted so that the users pay and use the facility.
The toilets were constructed by Eram Scientific, a Kerala-based company and it maintained them for a one-year guarantee period. Later, the e-toilets were handed over to the MCC.
Innovative solution now in shambles
These e-toilets used less amount of water and there was a sensor-enabled system to conserve water and electricity usage. The systems were indeed innovative but now everything is in shambles. Initially, people were curious about these blue kiosks and there was a good response. Buoyed by this, the MCC went on to set up 24 e-toilets and spent a fortune.
All the toilets are 3ft x 6ft in diameter and operate when a user inserts a coin. Once the user goes inside, the red light near the door flashes indicating that someone is inside. As the user comes out finishing his business, a yellow light flashes indicating that the e-toilet is under cleaning process. Soon after cleaning, a green light flashes indicating that the toilet is ready for use.
These e-toilets were an effective step towards the creation of urban sanitation infrastructure and it created a better quality of life for residents and tourists. By combining mechanical, electronics and web-mobile technologies for remote monitoring of the entry, usage, exit, cleaning and sterilisation, these e-toilets offered sustainable sanitation. They also generated revenue. Sadly, they are defunct now.
Only five will be retained: MCC Commissioner
MCC Commissioner G. Lakshmikantha Reddy has clarified that only five e-toilets out of the total 24 will be retained in strategic places and main roads. The rest will be discarded. Many people are not using the e-toilets and the repair costs are exorbitant, he said.
Speaking to Star of Mysore, he said, “Each toilet has been built with Rs. 6.25 lakh and the maintenance cost is burdening the MCC. Many people have complained to us that instead of benefits, there are more disadvantages with these e-toilets and that is why we have decided to discard 19 and retain only five.” Tenders have been called to repair and maintain five e-toilets for one year and the company that has bagged the tender will start work next week, Reddy added.
Where in Mysuru city
- Vidyaranyapuram Bus Stand
- K.G. Koppal Circle
- New KantharajUrs Road
- D. DevarajUrs Road
- Near Shyam Studio
- Near Apollo BGS Hospital
- B.M. Hospital
- Santhepet Road Junction
- Near Central Institute of Indian Languages on Hunsur Road
- Ramakrishnanagar Circle
- Theobald Road
- Ramakrishnanagar Sub-Registrar Office
- Near First Cross Park Ramakrishnanagar
- Suma Sopana Park near Kuvempunagar
- Lava-Kusha Park – Kuvempunagar
- Near Mysore Club
- JLB Road Maharani’s Science College premises
- City Railway Station
- Gangothri Layout
- Vishwakarma Hostel
- Near Cheluvamba Hospital
- Makkaji Chowk
- Near Jaganmohan Palace
- In front of Sub-urban Bus Stand and Zoo
We need to ask MCC to do a full blown post audit of the E-toilet project. They should ask an outside body to for such a needed analysis. We the tax payers need to know the process of approving the project, what kind of feasibility study was conducted, did the constructed meet the approved criteria, did the contractor pay any commission to get the project, how did the decision to remove all but five was taken, and if the new contractor had to pay commission to get the contract. Last one is important because if he has to pay commission, he may not be able to do a good job of maintaining and we will lose again.
-None of the 24 e-toilets working now
-MCC to maintain only five for a year
Innovative solutions such as e-toilets (electronic/ eco toilets) installed in Mysuru city have failed to provide the desired results and it is literally money flushed down the toilets. All the e-toilets are rendered useless within a span of four years though they were launched with much fanfare in 2017-2018.
For decades Mysoreans nonchalantly urinated in the street corners and defecated wherever there is space, which often means next to the end of a street. This is the typical thrid world scenario, although PM Modi baosts how India is able to send 2 satellites to space, and are attempting changrayaan etc. etc.. He is vocally loud in boasting ” technology is a way of life in India”. Well, when you see a man gladly urinating in the street corner, and another defeating nearby, one can only laugh at this boasting Gujaarthi.
What is disgusting is the above scenario occurs near a so called top hotel in Mysuru, which charges top USD. The funny thing is, one friend paid a lot of maney in one such hotel to spend 2 nights, and found that the toilet in the room would not flush and was almost unusable. Even after complaints, when nothing was done, he used the practice of what every Mysorean: used the space near the hotel as an open toilet. Job done!!
As for the above toilets which opened with fanfare- many officials’ palms filled with high denomination currency bills by the contractors.
@B Shenoy , should draw the attention of the MC Reddy :an engineer plus MBA Business manager and now the IAS officer, who entered the administrative service, he says to meet challenges, and challenge him to get to the bottom of this scandal.