Mumbai highway gets toilet with ATM, WiFi, mobile charging points

A public toilet with an ATM, free WiFi, showers, changing room for mothers with infants, a sanitary napkin dispenser and a public seating arrangement? It is all set to become a reality for motorists on the eastern express highway (EEH) towards Sion, on the service road near Ghatkopar.

Called Highway Suvidha, the toilet was built at a cost of ₹48 lakh and has 10 cubicles, with two separate blocks for the differently abled. The inauguration date for the toilet complex is yet to be decided. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) plans to build the “better-facilitated toilet” at more spots on both the EEH and western express highway (WEH), depending on the availability of land.

Vijay Singhal, additional municipal commissioner, said, “The idea is to change our perspective towards public toilets in Mumbai. We aim to get more such multi-purpose toilets, with designs that match international standards. We have planned a public toilet with similar features on the same highway, but on the opposite side of the existing toilet.”

A senior civic official said, “The design is suitable for natural ventilation and lighting system, which will save electricity. A water harvesting system will be used for the toilet. A waste segregation and composting center with a capacity of five tonnes has also been proposed.”

“Land availability on WEH is a major issue. However, you may see more such toilets on the EEH provided we get space and permissions from the highway authorities to build them,” Singhal said.