Delhi slums will be open defecation free by March 31 next year: CM

In a major step towards making jhuggi jhopdi (JJ) clusters in the Capital open defecation free (ODF) by March 31 next year, as many as 810 community toilets in 21 complexes across Delhi were inaugurated by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday.

"The toilets were constructed by the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) and with the latest addition, the total number of toilets constructed by the DUSIB since February 14, 2015 has now crossed 10,000 and the exact number of new toilets constructed in last 28 months in JJ bastis of Delhi now stands at 10,583," said a Delhi government spokesperson.

DUSIB is in charge providing basic amenities in JJ bastis, such as community toilets, or Jan Suvidha complexes (JSC), for residents in the bastis.

Addressing a gathering after inaugurating 110 public toilets at Madrasi Basti in South Delhi's Lajpat Nagar, Kejriwal said: "The Aam Aadmi Party is a party of the poor. We got 67 of the 70 Assembly seats because the poor voted for us. Our government has constructed 10,583 toilets in two years, which is a record."

Madrasi Basti houses nearly 1,310 jhuggies. Till now, absence of toilets had forced the residents of the basti to defecate in the open near the railway line.

The Delhi government official said: "The matter was taken up with the land owning agency, i.e. the Railway authorities, to give permission for construction of community toilets for the welfare of JJ dwellers and to improve the environment. The Railway granted the permission for construction of temporary structure."

Meanwhile, Kejriwal added that work on construction of 583 brick houses for slum dwellers in Sangam Vihar has started and would be finished in a few months.

DUSIB has constructed 110 seater prefab toilet complex to eliminate the problem of open defecation in the basti.

Other locations where new community toilets became functional on Thursday are Okhla DTC Depot, Sudhir camp Kalkaji, Kalander Colony near Bhalswa Dairy, Dalit Camp Dakshinpuri, K-Block Manglopuri, JJC B-Block Paschim Vihar, Kamla Nehru Camp Kirti Nagar, JJ camp Y Block Naraina, Jai Hind Camp Vasant Kunj, New Priyanka Camp near Sarita Vihar, Ashok Vihar, Inder Puri, Rajokari Pahari, Kusumpur Pahari Mehrauli, Dilshad Garden, Anand Parvat, Vishnu Mandir Marg Regurpura and Hardyan Singh Road Karol Bagh.