Even as the city’s first four public e-toilets built by a public sector oil company for Mangaluru City Corporation are ready for inauguration, the civic body has proposed to build eight more public e-toilets.
The council of the corporation gave approval to the proposal last week. Accordingly, these toilets have been proposed at Padavinangady, Light House Hill, Kaprigudda, Valencia Junction, Surathkal Junction, Surathkal Market and at Pakkaladkka (two toilets).
Meanwhile, the corporation’s earlier proposal to construct 24 public toilets (not e-toilets) has been facing administrative hurdles, sources in the civic body said.
The civic body had proposed to build them under design, build, operate and transfer (DBOT) mode and had invited bids.
Accordingly, those who built them would have to manage the toilets for 15 years. Responding to the tender, four bidders had offered to build nine toilets. But the council of the corporation rejected it on the grounds that the civic body could go ahead only if it received bids for constructing all 24 toilets.
Meanwhile, sources said that the Directorate of Municipal Administration has informed the corporation that if it would have to allow the bidder to manage it for 15 years, it should obtain the permission of the government as now the corporation could allow the bidder to manage it only for five years.
The sources said that the civic body is now in the process of getting permission from the government.
