Doors of women’s public toilet blocks missing,chawl owners suspect

All the doors that have gone missing belong to women’s toilet blocks. They are embarrassed to use the toilet blocks without doors and say they find it awkward to even approach the local male corporator with the problem. The toilet blocks are located close to Chhatrapati Chowk surrounded by chawls. Over 500 women of the area use the toilet blocks.

College student Deepali says,“This has happened several times in the past causing a big embarrassment for women and girls in the area…yet nobody does anything to resolve the issue once and for all.”

Corporator Kiran Mote said that in the last three years,doors have gone missing at least 9 times. “A few months after PCMC fixes the doors,they disappear again.”

The entire area is dominated by chawls and chawl dwellers do not have any toilets of their own. Mote says the reason for regular disappearance of the doors is to make long-time tenants vacate the chawls. “Local landlords are behind this. They have told me they have nothing against me,but want long-time tenants out. They believe that by harassing women,families would feel scared and leave,” he says.

Landlords have been grumbling that long-time tenants pay a meagre rent and oppose any hike. “The landlords say they have tried to persuade tenants to pay hiked rent,but nobody agrees. They say they have tried several other methods to evict them,but nothing has worked…Probably this is a way to get rid of tenants,” says Mote.

Rajendra Shelke,a local Congress leader said that a couple of years back an entire toilet block in the area was demolished by a landlord and in that case,too,the PCMC had delayed its action. Rubbing salt on the wounds is the PCMC taking its own time to fix the doors. “We will have to send an inspector to do an on-the-spot survey,” said PCMC health official R B Chavan. Condemning the disappearance of doors,Mayor Mohini Lande said,“I will direct the officials to immediately fix the doors.” PCMC corporator Seema Salve said it was shameful act and only shows how PCMC takes care of its properties.

Shiv Sena leader Shrirang Barne,who had early this week highlighted the illegality of PCMC properties,said he would take up the issue in the civic general body meeting. “It is highly reprehensible.. PCMC should take all measures to protect its property.”

Former corporator Maruti Bhapkar said in Mohannagar and Kalbhornagar too landlords adopt various means to evict long-time tenants. “Miscreants are sent to throw stones at houses of tenants,rip apart seat covers of their vehicles or torch vehicles ,” he says.

Municiapl Commissioner Shrikar Pardeshi said he would look into the issue.