Swachh a pity: 10 of 21 ‘smart’ toilets in Pune not operational

Toilets are not functioning as PMC is not providing water, says MLA Siddharth Shirole

With the aim of providing clean and hygienic public toilets, former Pune MP Anil Shirole, in 2018, had initiated a project for installation of state-of-the-art, automatic, smart toilet facilities in the city.

Two smart toilets located at Model Colony are not functioning as the Pune Municipal Corporation is not providing water. (Ravindra Joshi/HT PHOTO)

Shirole spent Rs 2 crore from his MP development fund to erect 21 smart toilets in the city.

However, after they were installed, 10 of the 21 smart toilets are not operational as per Right to Information (RTI) activist Abhijeet Baravkar.

Baravkar who filed an RTI application seeking information regarding the smart toilets in the city said that the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) on February 20, confirmed that 10 toilets are not functioning.

“I have been following up this issue for the past one year. A few months after the smart toilets were installed they became non-operational and are not used by the public. The ones that are operational are also not being utilised fully. On one hand the PMC is looking to rank No. 1 under the Swachh Survekshan ranking, and on the other hand the civic body is not in a position to maintain the facility,” said Baravkar.

PMC solid waste management department’s executive engineer Sudhir Chavan said that he has issued a letter to the concerned contractor to repair the toilets. However, Baravkar claimed that despite the letter, none of the toilets have been repaired.

Siddharth Shirole, member of legislative assembly (MLA) and son of Anil Shirole said, “It is true that some smart toilets are not operational. It is the PMC’s responsibility to carry out the maintenance of these toilets. The civic body must ensure that the concerned contractor carries out maintenance on a regular basis. Most of the smart toilets are not functioning as PMC is not providing water.”

Vinay Parge, an IT employee who has used the smart toilet said, “Smart toilets are a good concept, the only problem is lack of maintenance. It is not fair to only blame the PMC, as the residents are also equally responsible. Some residents spit in the areas surrounding the toilets, in such cases the civic body is helpless.

Rs 2 crore plan gets flushed... down the drain

Smart toilets work on a human sensor mechanism. It self-flushes before and after use. After every few uses, the floors are automatically flushed clean

21: Total No. of smart toilets in Pune

10: Non-operational

11: Operational

Clean up your act

Non-operational toilets

No. of smart toilets location Reason

2 Senapati Bapat road No water

2 Model Colony No water

2 Nilayam Bridge, Swargate Coin box broken

2 Taljai Tekadi No water

2 Vimannagar Coin box broken

Operational toilets

No. of smart toilets location

3 Fergusson College road

2 Jungli Maharaj road

2 Hirwe Garden, Deccan Gymkhana

2 Wadia College, Bund Garden road

2 Rajaram Bridge, Vittahlawdadi

Toilets: What’s so ‘smart’ about it?

- Smart toilets are prefabricated structures made from stainless steel

- Automatic system for access, flushing and cleaning the floor

- Users insert a coin in specified slot to open door. The user can insert a coin of any denomination to use the e-toilet

- Once door opens, sensor-based light system automatically turns on

- Toilet automatically flushes before and after use with guided audio commands for user

- Mechanised system cleans the toilet platform after every few users

- User does not get access to toilet if it is not cleaned