Washroom for women every two km!

To improve the sanitary standards in Mumbai, its civic body is planning free-for-use washrooms for women every two km of the city. And if a group of NGOs has its way, they may also be equipped with sanitary pads vending machines and have female cleaners instead of the male staff.

'The BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation) is planning to build dedicated toilets for women within every two km in the city. After their construction, the maintenance and management of these will be handed over to NGOs,' BMC standing committee chairman Rahul Shevale told IANS.

A group of 35 NGOs is demanding that these restrooms should have facilities to change and dispose off sanitary pads.

'There should be vending machines for sanitary pads. I am sure a woman would not mind paying a few bucks if she has the facility of buying and changing at the same place,' Usha Kale of NGO Apnalaya India told IANS.

'We have demanded that the BMC build such a toilet as a pilot project at any of the busy stations like Dadar, Churchgate or Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus,' she added.