South body to convert toilets to flower shops

The south Delhi municipal corporation has decided to construct, flower shops, sewing coaching centers, milk and vegetable booths in buildings which were originally meant to serve as high-end toilets at nine posh colonies in the city.

The south Delhi municipal corporation has decided to construct, flower shops, sewing coaching centers, milk and vegetable booths in buildings which were originally meant to serve as high-end toilets at nine posh colonies in the city.

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The locations include Defence Colony, Greater Kailash, Chittaranjan Park, Nehru Place, etc.

The civic body may, however, would find it difficult to implement the order since the agencies that it had contracted to build the high-end toilet blocks have moved court against its decision to scrap an earlier plan to construct 200 such toilets.

The unified MCD in 2010 had announced the scheme for construction of toilets in more than 200 markets and notified commercial areas ahead of the Commonwealth Games to provide “aesthetically pleasing hygienic, ultra modern toilets of international standards.”

“The corporation had asked nine bidders to construct model toilets in nine prime locations and said the best would be chosen to construct over 200 high-end public convenience facilities across Delhi,” said an SDMC official.

But in 2010, the chief town planner expressed concern over the implementation of the scheme and recommended annulment of the contracts. Following this the concessionaires moved the court.

The opposition leaders said until the concessionaires are compensated or the court decides the matter, implementing the plan would be violation of the law.

“The matter needs to be probed. The corporation got an anticipatory approval for the plan which is illegal under the DMC Act,” said leader of the opposition Farhad Suri. He also said that since the roads belong to PWD, as soon as the propertyiesare made commercial they will go to the Delhi government.