The Swachh Bharat Mission seems to be working in Chennai which is committed to rub off its image of sporting dirty public toilets. The new e-toilets in the city have a claim to be ‘always clean’. 183 portable e-toilets have been installed in the city which are unmanned and are fully automatic with pre-wash and post-wash provisions. Even the floors of these green-colored tin boxes get a thorough wash after each use, keeping them hygienic and stench-free.
But the facilities come at a cost. Each of these smart toilets cost around Rs. 5 lakh, add to it, a monthly maintenance of Rs. 5,000. But the government is proud to have spent the money.
These toilets could very well be the answer to some of country’s major problems such as open defecation and manual scavenging.