Smart City Ahmedabad’s new initiative of Public Toilets have set a benchmark in service and maintenance management. As changes in urban architecture manifest, better sanitation invariably becomes the need of the hour especially for the women to participate in the public sphere.
Ahmedabad has made a commendable beginning in this space through the establishment of Automated Public Toilets that exemplify its commitment to instituting standard hygiene and cleanliness measures through the leveraging of cutting-edge technology.
Amenities include the opening of the door on the dropping of a coin (Re 1, Rs 2, Rs 5, and Rs 10) or through a Button Push mechanism and automatic functioning of lights upon the user’s entry. Pre-flush ensures before the user’s entry whereas the post-flush mechanism ensures cleanliness after using the toilet. This feature not only reduces the chances of water-borne diseases but also instills a behavioural change towards cleanliness and hygiene.
These toilets embody unique hygiene through entry restrictions and pressurized cleaning among their key features. There is also a provision of proper disposal of these pads in dustbins that are present in every toilet. The entry restriction feature automatically restricts the person from using the toilet if there is no water or electricity. The handwash and sensor-operated hand cleaning basin ensure complete hygiene of the user after using the toilet.
The floor perforation ensures efficient cleaning of walls through waterjet. Pressurized wall cleaning through a high-pressure water jet with a specially-designed nozzle ensures full floor and wall cleaning at programmed intervals. The key highlight of these toilets is the installation of a sanitary pad vending machine that takes care of the menstrual needs of women.
Its vandal-deterrent design ensures that equipment inside the toilets is kept in a way so that the public cannot tamper them easily. The bottom layer is 1.5mm thick with ventilation and has a slanting shape for the draining of wastewater. Much will, however, the hinge on the willingness of other state governments to embrace this new change.
The community toilets are a step forward towards fulfilling India’s sanitation goals and sensitizing the community on the significance of standard hygiene, cleanliness and health amid COVID-19 that has renewed the focus on these measures. Equally significant is the safe management of fecal sludge from toilets and ensuring no untreated sludge discharge into open drains, water bodies, or in the open.
