Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) will build toilets for the people living in JJ clusters located along railway tracks and other locations in Delhi. Railways, DDA, MCDs have agreed to issue 'no objection certificate' (NOC) for construction of toilets, which has been pending for long.
According to sources, the issue of granting NOCs in this regard by concerned agencies was discussed at a meeting chaired by Durga Shanker Mishra, Secretary (Housing & Urban Affairs) recently and the issue was resolved. The Ministry is putting pressure on all agencies concerned to make Delhi defecation free by October this year, they added.
It was also decided that all slum clusters, located on the railway tracks, get a toilet in the area. Some of the clusters have the population over 12,000 and there is no space left to construct a toilet, sources added.
There are 26 JJ colonies on lands belonging to Railways, DDA, MCDs and Government of Uttar Pradesh. In the first meeting taken by Mishra, it was decided that the Railways, the DUSIB and the MCDs will conduct the joint inspection of all the 26 JJ colonies to explore the feasibility of building toilets without impacting railway operations.
Union Urban Development Secretary also met Minister of Railways Suresh Prabhu and Member (Engineering) of Railway Board recently and discussed the issue.
Inspection Report was discussed in detail and DUSIB informed that in respect of five colonies, availability of toilets will be augmented at the existing locations and in respect of four colonies with dense jhuggis in Jhakira-Charamandi area, mobile toilet vehicles will be deployed to begin with. NGOs would be involved to talk to the local people and provide land for building permanent toilets. Sources maintained that DUSIB assured the Ministry that toilets would be built in these colonies by October this year.
There are 10 JJ Colonies located on railway lands in Bhim Nagar behind Nangloi Bus Depot, Rakhi Market Jhakira, Shiv Basti near Patel Nagar Railway Station, Pilli Kothi lahore and PulMithai edge at lahore Gate, Under Mansoravar Metro Flyover, SabjiMandi Railway Station, A Block Shalimar Bagh, Shakurbasti, MatialaMandir and Priyadarshini Colony.