Officials said on Wednesday that the MCD had decided to develop the community facility centre in Delhi, drawing inspiration from community sanitation centres in Mumbai. The proposed centre at Ekta Camp in RK Puram will serve as a pilot project to assess whether a comprehensive facility offering essential services can be made available to residents of slum settlements.
According to officials, the corporation intends to expand the initiative by setting up approximately 20 additional centres in different zones if the pilot project receives a positive response.
The facility will bring several basic services together in one location, particularly for residents who lack adequate sanitation and laundry facilities in their homes.
The centre will have 46 toilets, four showers, eight washing machines and a water ATM providing RO-filtered drinking water. Residents will be able to access these services at subsidised rates.
An MCD official said the centre would cover approximately 160 square metres and is estimated to cost Rs 2.5 crore. The proposed charges include Rs 3 for using a toilet, Rs 70 for a laundry cycle and Rs 1 per litre for drinking water.
Hindustan Unilever Limited will develop the facility in collaboration with the MCD and the central government under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme. The centre is expected to be completed within three months.
The project will also incorporate measures to ensure cleanliness, water conservation and sustainable operations. An MCD official said the facility would be monitored by officials every four hours to ensure cleanliness and proper maintenance.
The pilot project will also help the corporation assess the response of local residents to the proposed services and determine whether the model can be expanded to other areas.
Water used at the centre will be treated and made suitable for reuse through a dedicated sewage treatment plant. The facility will also have rainwater harvesting and solar energy systems.
Delhi's slum settlements already have community toilets developed by the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board. However, several of these facilities have faced problems related to maintenance and cleanliness.
The MCD's pilot project aims to examine whether a comprehensive facility offering essential services can provide a more accessible and integrated solution for residents, particularly those without adequate sanitation and laundry facilities at home.
The outcome of the project at Ekta Camp will help determine the corporation's plans to establish around 20 additional centres across Delhi, potentially extending access to essential sanitation, bathing, laundry and drinking water services to more slum residents.
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