Gateway of India Gets “Women-only” Sanitation Facility

Mumbai and one of India’s most famous monuments, Gateway of India has got an exclusive, no-charge sanitation facility for women on 1 November. While the situation of women’s toilets across the country is no secret to anybody, the new sanitation facility in the area, where several thousand people visit on a daily basis, offers much more than just toilets for women. Constructed on the erstwhile location of a MCGM Chowki, which was used then as a storeroom, the new toilet facility, has 10 WCs (including one for handicapped users), a changing room, a baby feeding station, a sanitary vending machine and incinerator, a water cooler and a waiting area.

“It gives us immense pride and satisfaction to provide yet another sanitation facility for Mumbaikars. This is our fifth sanitation project in Mumbai, following the ones at Banganga, Mumbai Central railway station, Girgaum Chowpatty, and Marine Drive. The Gateway of India is the oldest and most popular tourist site in the city, and it is our honour to build a state-of-the-art sanitation facility dedicated to the every woman of our country at this prestigious landmark!” said Keith Mascarenhas of Samatech Foundation who built the sanitation facility in association with Round Table India and Ladies Circle India.

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Earlier, women had to use the over-crowded toilets nearby and a survey conducted by the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) said that 83% women voted those toilets “unclean”. Around 6,000,000 women participated in the survey.

Mumbai lacks enough public toilets. The municipality estimates that there is one toilet for every 2000 people. Two-thirds of these toilets are only for men. There are very few usable public toilets for women.

Namrata Shenoy, National President of Ladies Circle India said, “Mumbai lacks enough public toilets. The municipality estimates that there is one toilet for every 2000 people. Two-thirds of these toilets are only for men. There are very few usable public toilets for women. Many of the existing toilets are either non-operational or in a poor condition. The lack of public toilets is felt acutely even in popular, tourist areas. The Gateway of India is one of the busiest places in the city, and sorely needed a modern sanitation facility.”

A lot of tourists who visit India and Mumbai particularly also visit The Gateway of India and so it is of utmost importance for the local authorities to pay attention to the basic needs of women in the area. Talking about it, Dhruv Nidhi Dalmia, National President of Round Table India, said, “The Gateway of India hosts many national and international events. Often world leaders visit it when they come to Mumbai. It is also an important connection between the Mumbai harbour and coastal towns in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.”

Picture credit- The Hindu

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