BMC may flush 75 cr down the toilet

MUMBAI, SEPT 24: The civic administration has nothing to show for the World Bank funded Slum Sanitation Programme SSP that began in 199...

MUMBAI, SEPT 24: The civic administration has nothing to show for the World Bank funded Slum Sanitation Programme SSP that began in 1997. Almost two years down the line not a single toilet is ready for use inspite of the Rs 75 crore that has been sanctioned for it.

The sluggish pace of the programme can be partly attributed to the fact that the construction space marked off by NGOs, was rejected by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corportation BMC on technical grounds. At other places, contractors did not come forward to undertake construction.

Civic officials revealed that though construction began in December last year at Padmanager, Chikhalwadi and Shivajinagar, it is likely to be completed only by the end of next month. The reasons for the delay, as furnished by the NGOs and community based organisations CBOs concerned, are the poor foundations and a ground water problem.

The constructions of toilets is part of the Mumbai Sewerage Disposal Project MSDP undertaken by the Brihanmumbai MunicipalCorporation BMC and funded by the World Bank. Under the project, each resident who will use the toilets will have to contribute Rs 100 while the balance will be drawn from World Bank donations.

When civic administration invited bids for construction of three toilet blocks in Chembur and Dadar and two individual sewer lines for the toilets in January, only one bid was received. The BMC issued an acceptance letter to the contractor and work is underway.

In Parel, due to shortage of open space, the ward officer has suggested that all four sites be constructed on pavements. Civic staff is trying to obtain permission from the traffic department.

With space proving to be a barrier to the successful implementation of the programme, the BMC has convinced the World Bank to allow them to reconstruct the existing dilapidated toilets. Till date, 21 toilet blocks have been identified and the BMC is now scrutinising the four tenders received from contractors for the reconstruction.

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The BMC also wants to expandthe SSP8217;s scope for carrying out major repairs to those toilets which do not require demolition or reconstruction and talks with WB officials are underway. Though the programme was meant for new toilets alone, the WB may agree to repair the dilapidated ones since there are constraints of space and existing toilets which need repair, said civic officials.

Before approving construction, the BMC had carried out programme publicity from March 3, 1997 to July 3, 1997. Due to the CBO8217;s delay in registering with the Charity Commissioner, the publicity programme was extended upto January 1998. A total of 38 organisations have been registered. Of these, 26 have already made their contribution for the project.