Hi-Tech E-Toilets in Pune Non-Functional Despite Rs 2 Crore Expenditure, Citizens Demand Accountability

In 2018, Rs 2 crore from the Member of Parliament fund of then Pune MP Anil Shirole was allocated for the installation of hi-tech e-toilets at 11 different locations across the city. The Pune Municipal Corporation awarded the contract directly to Eram Scientific Solutions, bypassing the tender process as the company claimed proprietary rights over the technology.

Renowned RTI activist Vivek Welankar have raised the questions and demanded accountability.  

Under the contract, the company installed the e-toilets and maintained them for one year, until the end of 2019. However, it failed to transfer the technology to PMC afterward and did not show any interest in extending the maintenance contract. As a result, all the e-toilets became non-operational.

The e-toilets were installed at the following locations:  

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• 1) Opposite Rupali Hotel  
• 2) Ramoshi Vasti  
• 3) Hirwai Garden  
• 4) Sambhaji Garden  
• 5) Model Colony, near Om Supermarket  
• 6) Tingre Garden, Viman Nagar  
• 7) Nilayam Bridge  
• 8) Sinhagad Road STP  
• 9) Near Wadia College  
• 10) Tukai Tekdi  
• 11) LMD Garden, Bavdhan

Subsequently, in 2023, PMC floated a new tender and assigned Aditya Enterprises the contract on a trial basis. The firm was paid Rs 1,28,400 per toilet for repairing five units and Rs 7,000 per month per toilet for maintenance. Despite spending nearly Rs 5 lakh to date, only three of the 11 toilets are currently operational.

The following questions have been raised by citizens:  

• 1) At a time when there is a dire need for basic, clean public toilets in the city, why was such a large amount spent on high-tech alternatives?  
• 2) Why was the tendering process bypassed to accommodate a single firm with patented technology?  
• 3) Does the availability of MP funds exempt PMC from accountability? Has it been forgotten that MP funds are also taxpayer money?

A request has been made to convert the defunct e-toilets into simple, functional public toilets to ensure access to clean sanitation facilities for citizens, said — Vivek Velankar,  

President, Sajag Nagrik Manch, Pune

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