The applicants for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi's 216 high-end public toilet-cum-commercial complexes project will construct one sample unit each which would be graded by a committee of independent experts.
The committee that would evaluate the sample units will comprise experts from institutes such as the Indian Institute of Technology, School of Planning and Architecture, Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage and Delhi Urban Arts Commission.
According to MCD Leader of House Subhash Arya, the 28 applicants will construct one public toilet each in various parts of the city and only those getting more than 70 per cent ‘marks' will be eligible for further bidding. The sample units found unfit would be demolished, he added.
“This one-of-its-kind project in Asia where toilets will have food centres or retail stores on the first floor would include toilet units of international standards with water saving devices, solar energy panels and beautiful prefab structures,” he said.
The MCD had invited proposals in early May for construction of these 216 "world-class" toilets in commercial areas and markets of the city.
Mr. Arya also announced that the highest bidder who would construct the 216 toilets at various market areas would share the revenue with the MCD at the rate of Rs.12 crore per year with an increase of 10 per cent every year for 30 years of the lease period. “We hope to generate a revenue of Rs.400 crore during the entire lease period,” he added.
Refuting allegations by opposition Congress that the project was initiated without approval from the MCD Standing Committee or House, Mr. Arya stated that anticipatory approval was taken both from the Standing Committee chairman and the Mayor. In response to Leader of Opposition J. K. Sharma's allegation that the project was initiated to hand over commercial land to private agencies at “throwaway prices”, Mr Arya said: "Land will be allotted for the project only after approval is taken. It is ridiculous for the Congress to allege that the project will favour the land mafia. The ‘request for proposal' document and agreement very clearly specify that the right to land is of the MCD and that the concessionaire would cease to have any right after completion of the lease period.”
