ISLAMABAD: In a bid to improve standards of public toilets in the city, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has decided to upgrade annual contracts, after which the contractor will be responsible for repair and maintenance of public toilets.

The civic body has also decided to establish public toilets along highways and main roads to facilitate travellers and commuters.

Currently, the public toilets’ repair and maintenance is being carried out by the CDA, and the contractor is only responsible for running the facility.

CDA Chairman Maroof Afzal reviewed the conditions of the public toilets provided by the authority in different sectors of Islamabad on Wednesday.

At the moment, there are 92 public toilets in Islamabad but the number of operational toilets is much less, whereas 62 were being managed by the contractors.

Besides, many public toilets have been rendered unusable due to lack of water supply.

“Since the contracts are set to expire on September 13, it has been decided that the new contracts will bound the contractors to repair, maintain and renovate these toilets,” CDA Spokesman Asim Khichi said.

The CDA has also decided to shift public toilets which are not being used due to their isolated location on the highways of Islamabad.

“It is quite unfortunate that this public facility is not given a priority in the planning process. However, CDA has decided to improve conditions of the public toilets after the new contracts,” the spokesman said, adding that “we need to raise awareness of the importance of hygiene and healthcare in the sanitation facilities among the general populace and that is only possible if clean facilities are available.”

The civic body will incorporate provision of a necessary hand-wash in the public toilets, and in future the public toilets will be constructed as per requirement of the area to accommodate people who would be using the facility.

“It has been a general trend that all toilets are of the same size. Besides hygiene and cleanliness are neglected mainly around workshops and market paces as a result one corner of the market or workshop area stinks,” the CDA spokesman said.

Published in Dawn, September 11th , 2014