Kerala: Comfort stations to be set up along National Highway by civic body

Kochi: Shortage of public toilets is one of the major issues faced by commuters in the state. Now the Kalamassery municipality is trying to become a role model by setting up four comfort stations along the National Highway under its jurisdiction. “We've obtained the No Objection Certificate (NoC) from the National Highways to set up the comfort stations at Premier Junction, HMT Junction, CUSAT and the Edapally Toll junction. The main aim is to extend the facility to travelling public,” said Jessy Peter, chairperson.

The construction cost will be met by the municipality fund and also that provided under the Suchitwa Mission scheme. “The engineers will visit the site this week itself and an estimate will be prepared. The same will be submitted for approval in the council meet before the tenders are floated,” she said. The initiative will be a boost to the efforts to declare Kochi as Open Defecation Free (ODF). Currently the city lacks well-maintained public comfort stations. The Swachh Bharat Mission that had ranked Kochi fifth in 2015 dropped the city to the 55th spot in 2016 due to the glaring lack of clean toilets in the city for public use.