Toilets get facelift on Vaishno Devi route
Katra, March 12
In a bid to enlarge and upgrade facilities for the pilgrims, the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board has renovated 30 toilet blocks, located on the track from Katra to Bhawan, at an expenditure of over Rs 3.11 crore.
Governor NN Vohra, Chairman of the shrine board, had directed Ajeet Kumar Sahu, Chief Executive Officer of the board, to undertake a phased time-bound programme for the renovation and upgrade of all toilet blocks.
The move will significantly improve sanitation and cleanliness in the area, besides providing better facilities to the pilgrims.
At a review meeting today, Sahu said the renovation of 36 toilet blocks was taken up at an estimated cost of about Rs 3.5 crore. The renovation work on 30 toilet blocks had been completed at an expenditure of over Rs 3.11 crore. The work on the remainder six toilet blocks will be completed by May 2017.
The renovated blocks are located at Darshani Deodi, Banganga, near Pushpanjali Medical Unit, Charan Paduka, near Sameer View Point, Adhkuwari, Hathimatha, Sanjichhat, Bhairon Complex, Bhawan, Himkoti Marg, Panchhi View Point and at Sanjichhat Helipad.
Sahu said modern technology had been used in the renovation, upgrade, alteration and in adding new facilities to the toilet blocks so that they could be kept clean and well maintained 24X7. An annual maintenance plan has also been formulated for ensuring satisfactory upkeep of the toilet blocks, some of which have been equipped with western style seats to meet the requirements of the senior citizens and physically challenged.
All toilet blocks at Bhawan have been connected to the 3.2 MLD sewage treatment plant (STP) and the construction of new STPs to serve the remaining toilet blocks is in progress. Some toilet blocks are being connected with stand-alone packaged STPs as connecting these blocks with regular STPs is not geographically and otherwise feasible.
The CEO said tenders had been invited for the construction of 400 KLD STP based on MBBR technology at Adhkuwari. — OC
