‘All ULBs, tourist places to be covered’
Sanjeev K Sharma
JAMMU, Dec 23: As the people of Jammu and Srinagar Smart Cities along with some other districts in the Union Territory (UT) of Jammu and Kashmir were feeling all comforts in travels with the facility of emission-free, luxurious and much-safe electric-buses (e-buses) for the last about one year, now the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) is going to provide aspirational toilets in Jammu and Kashmir and these special toilets will cover all the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) of the UT.
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Sources informed that these toilets will be equipped with modern facilities and will be having solar power backup.
“It will be a high-end facility with paid services and special features like touchless flushing,” they said further adding that auto flushing of the toilet pan will be there at these toilets along with separate rooms for men and women apart from the facilities like fan, ceiling light, hand-wash, hand-drying and all other things which one finds in the toilets of big luxurious hotels.
“These places of easing will be compliant for elderly people, children, women and divyangs while at tourist destinations, the facility will give good experience to the visitors,” sources maintained adding that the facility will be not less than any model toilet.
They said that these facilities will also comply with all the latest guidelines set by the concerned authorities.
Reliable sources informed that these premium toilets will be constructed at prime locations of Jammu and Srinagar cities and at many other places falling under other ULBs and tourist places like Gulmarg, Pahalgam, important shrines and other pilgrimage places etc.
“Initially seven locations were shortlisted in Jammu city, JMC limits only, for these toilets where about 51 seats were to be placed but out of these seven locations, only four were found to be feasible and new locations are being looked for now,” they informed adding: “These toilets will also have warm water facilities at snow bound and other cold areas.”
When contacted, Managing Director (MD) Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) Urban, J&K, Dr. Devansh Yadav, who is also Commissioner Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC), informed that 375 seats will be installed in total at all the aspirational toilets in entire J&K at all the ULBs and tourist places of the UT.
“These toilets will be special toilets equipped with all the latest facilities and number of seats at one toilet complex may vary from 5 to 10,” Dr. Yadav informed.
He said that the 375 number is basic and may further increase depending upon the need after taking a note of various factors.
“Construction of these toilets may start from the first week of January 2025, as agencies for the work have been hired, and within next six months (from then) all these toilets will be ready and will be put to public use,” the SBM MD stated.
He also said that maintenance, upkeep and other related works at these places will be outsourced wherein the empanelled person/ agency (to whom the work would be outsourced) will also be allowed to run ATM or other facilities there and cleanliness along with hygiene at these toilets has to be properly maintained and ensured at all the times by the empanelled person/ agency.
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