Decked up at various places in the Capital City, modular toilets that came as much respite for city residents are now left in a total mess.
The Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) is yet to find out a bidder for operating and maintaining these prefabricated lavatories.
With the purpose to give a face lift to the State capital before the Swacchta Sarvekshan and the maiden Global Investors Summit (GIS), the prefabricated structure was set up but it seems that it was a mere feeble attempt from authorities.
Notably, in absence of proper maintenance, these toilets set up along the roads have been locked up for more than three months now, leaving no other option for commuters than to urinate and defecate in open adding more to the woes and dirt.
Deputy Mayor Sanjiv Vijayawargia said that out of all the 58 modular toilets, officially only one modular toilet at Ratu Road was made functional by the RMC.
Bringing the cleanliness again back to square one, none of the civic body officials have any satisfactory answer to justify their statements.
“Few toilets opened up at different locations in February 2017 were being maintained by RMC somehow. The tender has been floated for modular toilets operation and maintenance but we have not found any suitable bidder for it. At present, a company, Ejaz Agency approached us but due to some technical glitches, the RMC is yet to handover the project to the company,” said the Deputy Mayor.
RMC PRO Naresh Kumar Sinha was unable to give the status of tender and the total number of toilets that are yet to come up in the Capital. Sinha just added that the process of roping in a competent bidder would get complete soon.
Interestingly, according to the RMC records, the cost of one modular toilet is approximately Rs. one lakh. RMC officials in collaboration with Pasa Resources Pvt. ltd have demarcated 100 places along the roadside in Ranchi to set up modular toilets. Each toilet covers 16 sq. ft area and is equipped with mirrors, washbasins, flush, buckets and mugs. The residents can avail the service for free of cost.
On the other hand, Pasa Resources Pvt. ltd, the channel partner of TATA Steel that is executing the task of decking up modular toilets at all the demarcated places in the Capital is yet to complete the work.
The task of installing 75 modular toilets in first phase was likely to get complete by January 2017 but has been lingering since long. When contacted, the Company COO, Jaideep Singh, refused to comment on the issue.