The State government on Thursday told the High Court of Karnataka that 3,081 new public toilets, 2,725 new public urinals, and 1,223 new public e-toilets at various tourist destinations would be constructed under the Swatch Bharat Mission in the 310 urban local bodies across the State, and 600 of these public toilets would be constructed in Bengaluru city.
For construction of these public toilet blocks, the estimated cost is ₹37.22 crores and for the construction of urinal blocks the estimated cost is ₹8,72 crores and for or e-toilets it is ₹30.58 crores, it has been stated in the affidavit filed by Ajay Nagabhushan M.N., Secretary, Urban Development Department. The estimated cost for constructing 600 toilets would be ₹9 crore with each toilet costing around ₹1.5 lakh, the affidavit stated.
The affidavit was filed before a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Prasanna B. Varale and Justice Krishna S. Dixit during the hearing of a PIL petition filed by Letzkit Foundation, Bengaluru, which had raised issues related to lack of sufficient number of public toilets and maintenance of existing toilets in Bengaluru city.
