Delhi approves ₹127 crore for 500 planned 24-hour toilet blocks

The Delhi expenditure finance committee has approved ₹127 crore for 500 new public toilet blocks, with markets, parks, highways and other high-footfall areas set to receive priority.

The committee, chaired by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, approved the first phase of a larger plan for 1,000 facilities. The city budget had set aside ₹300 crore for the initiative. Officials said locations where women have difficulty finding toilets will receive priority.

Sites identified so far include Civil Lines, Anand Vihar, the AIIMS campus, August Kranti Marg, Surajmal Vihar, Jhilmil, Laxmibai Marg, Aruna Nagar-Timarpur and Metcalfe House. Wazirabad division is slated for 71 blocks and Srinivaspuri division for 68.

The Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation will execute the project. Each block is planned to have CCTV cameras at entry and exit points, grid-connected solar systems and LED advertising displays. Construction is expected to take around 13 months after tenders are finalised and work orders are issued.