MCD to set up Mumbai-style ‘Suvidha centre’ in Delhi’s slum clusters, 20 more planned

Taking a cue from Mumbai’s community hygiene centres, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi is setting up its first such facility in the capital and plans to build around 20 more centres across zones if the pilot project succeeds, officials said on Wednesday.

The centre, coming up at Ekta Camp in south Delhi’s RK Puram, will feature toilets, bathing facilities, washing machines, and filtered drinking water under one roof, offering residents of slum clusters access to these amenities at subsidised rates.

A civic agency official said Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL), under its corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme, is expected to complete the facility within three months in collaboration with the civic body and the Central government. The centre will have 46 toilet stalls, four showers, eight washing machines, and a water ATM dispensing RO-filtered drinking water.

Also Read: CPCB flags high pollution at Sahibabad, Shahdara drains

“Spread across around 160 square metres, it is estimated to cost Rs 2.5 crore. Users will be charged Rs 3 per toilet use, Rs 70 for a full laundry cycle, and Re 1 per litre of drinking water,” the official said.

He said officials will monitor the facility every four hours to ensure cleanliness and proper maintenance. “We will assess its response before considering similar centres in other areas,” he said.

The centre will also have a sewage treatment plant to treat wastewater for reuse, along with rainwater harvesting and solar energy systems. “The measures are aimed at reducing the discharge of untreated wastewater into drains from slum clusters, particularly in areas without sewer connections,” the official said.

Delhi already has community toilet facilities developed by the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) in and around slum clusters. However, several such facilities have faced maintenance and hygiene issues over time.

Also Read: No BS-VI, no entry: what new anti-pollution curb could cost Delhi-NCR commuters

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s pilot aims to test whether an integrated, regularly maintained facility can provide a broader range of basic services to residents who may lack adequate sanitation and washing facilities at home.

Mumbai’s Suvidha centres, developed through public-private partnerships involving HUL, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, HSBC India and the JSW Foundation, combine sanitation, bathing and laundry services for low-income groups. Delhi’s initiative comes amid a broader push to expand public sanitation infrastructure in the capital. In September, the Delhi government announced plans to build 2,000 modern public toilets.

Currently, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi maintains 613 of the 837 public toilets in Delhi and 128 of the city’s 360 community toilet complexes, according to official data.