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Plan to raze, rebuild 55 public toilets sparks questions over PMC’s priorities
The proposals, submitted by corporators through various ward offices, are currently before the PMC women and child welfare committee
A Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) proposal to demolish and reconstruct 55 existing public toilets instead of repairing them has raised questions over the civic body’s sanitation planning, with citizens and activists demanding greater transparency in the decision-making process.
The proposals, submitted by corporators through various ward offices, are currently before the PMC women and child welfare committee. Critics have questioned whether reconstruction is being prioritised over more cost-effective repairs without adequate technical assessment.
The civic body has proposed 146 public toilet projects across the city. Of these, 91 involve construction of new facilities, while 55 proposals seek permission to demolish existing toilets and rebuild them at the same locations.
The Kondhwa-Undri ward office has submitted the highest number of demolition proposals (24), followed by Warje-Karvenagar (18) and Dhankawdi-Katraj-Ambegaon (15). Similar proposals have also been received from the Dhole Patil Road, Chhatrapati Shivajinagar-Ghole Road, Sinhagad Road and Bibvewadi ward offices.
The move has prompted demands for technical audits of the existing structures to determine whether they are genuinely beyond repair. Activists argue that if the toilets can be restored at a fraction of the cost, PMC should justify the higher expenditure involved in reconstruction.
Several proposals are learnt to have been recommended by corporators, raising questions over the criteria used for selecting the sites. Citizens have also sought an independent inquiry into whether road widening, slum rehabilitation or other infrastructure projects are planned near these locations.
They have demanded that PMC verify all ongoing and proposed projects within a 50-metre radius of each site to rule out redevelopment-related factors behind the demolition proposals.
The issue comes at a time when PMC is preparing to invite tenders for nearly 100 new public toilets across the city. Residents have expressed concern that demolishing existing facilities before new ones are ready could leave several areas without basic sanitation facilities for months.
“PMC should conduct a detailed technical, financial and administrative assessment before approving the demolition and reconstruction of any public toilet. If these facilities can be repaired and made functional at a lower cost, public money should not be spent on unnecessary rebuilding,” said Suresh Shinde, a Kondhwa resident.
Women’s toilets in poor condition
Civic activist Sudhir Kulkarni said many women’s public toilets across Pune are in poor condition due to years of neglect.
“PMC should first repair and upgrade these existing facilities instead of focusing only on constructing new toilets,” he said.
Santosh Warule, deputy commissioner, PMC solid waste management department, said the proposals submitted by ward offices include detailed reasons for demolition and reconstruction.
“Some proposals may involve road projects where an existing public toilet is an obstacle, while others may be linked to slum rehabilitation schemes requiring the land to be cleared. Every proposal is examined for feasibility,” he said.
He added proposals routed through the City Improvement Committee are sent back to the department for technical scrutiny.
“We assess whether the structure is dilapidated, unsafe or has completed its structural life. We also examine whether there is a need for a larger facility or a toilet at a different location,” Warule said, adding that proposals are under scrutiny.
“Demolition will be carried out only after administrative verification is completed and the women and child welfare committee grants approval,” he said.
