Mumbai’s Dharavi, known to be one of the most densely populated areas in the city and one of Asia’s largest slums, now has a key feature that can alleviate the hygiene and health problems of the population if managed and maintained properly. A 6,000 square feet Suvidha Kendra or Centre was inaugurated by Maharashtra’s Tourism Minister, Aaditya Thackeray recently—a facility which is being celebrated as the largest public toilet block in India till date.
The Suvidha Centre is a two-storey building that houses many amenities the public, especially women, need to maintain their hygiene, especially in an area as densely populated as Dharavi. The building has 111 toilet seats, public washing machines, hot and cold water dispensers as well as critical facilities that women absolutely need.
A report by The Indian Express reveals that the Suvidha Centre has sanitary napkin vending machines and all the women’s toilets have a panic button. The building is also equipped with proper lights and seems secure. These amenities are particularly placed to ensure that women living in the area feel safe and secure enough to use the Suvidha Centre instead of accessing less clean toilets or unsafe bathroom blocks in the city.
The Suvidha Centre is staffed by 14 sanitation workers who are supposed to clean the toilets every hour. The facilities at the Suvidha Centre can be accessed via monthly passes that cost ₹150 per month for a family of five (technically available at ₹1 per person per day). Those without passes have to pay ₹3 to access the facilities. Access for children is free of charge. Further, buckets of cold water in the bathrooms are provided for ₹1 per litre, buckets of hot water for ₹2, the eight shower cubicles for ₹5, and ₹10 for a bar of soap.
The block is managed by Hindustan Unilever Limited, HSBC India and a non-profit, whose representatives revealed that passes have been provided to 100 families. They also revealed that 10 more Suvidha Centres have been planned across the slum areas of Mumbai, including one more in Dharavi.
*Image courtesy: Twitter/Hindustan Unilever