Hyderabad, April 09: Whats as indigenous to the city as the smell of Hyderabadi biryani?
Unfortunately, its the foul smell of urine that greets people when they walk on the sidewalks of the roads.
And obviously not a welcome addition as the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation has decided to usher the open-air urinators into mobile toilets that they plan to set up in different parts of the city.
The toilets will be of various capacities and can accommodate four to ten people at a time.
They would have an automatic payment collection system and automated doors which would only open after the user has made payment. Display boards in various languages (English, Hindi, Telugu, Urdu) will inform the users of the guidelines.
The toilets will also be equipped with a self-cleaning mechanism to ensure hygeine.
They will be operated with solar energy or energy through bio-gas and will be equipped with traditional power back-ups in case the former falls short.
The rapid growth of Hyderabad city has put an enormous strain on the infrastructure, GHMC offcials told Express.
We propose to involve corporate houses, NGOs, philanthropic institutions and individuals to develop these mobile public conveniences, they added.
The GHMC has invited Expression of Interest from NGOs, Registered Safai Karamchari Societies and Agencies for the purchase and maintenance of these toilets for a period of three years.
At present, the GHMC hires mobile toilets from private companies for use during public meetings, mass demonstrations and festivals like Ganesh idol immersion, Moharram and Haj pilgrimage.
It spends nearly Rs 4 lakh to Rs 5 lakh per year towards this. To purchase the toilets would save this expense.
-Agencies