This story is from February 19, 2020

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state and national highways, criss-crossing Kerala , will soon have thousands of toilet complexes, thanks to an ambitious sanitation initiative drawn up by the Left government.

The state government is planning to set up 12,000 pairs of public toilets (for both men and women) on the highways.

A cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday decided to instruct local self-government institutions to identify three cents of land each in their respective areas alongside the state and national highways for constructing toilets.

Dearth of public toilets are causing difficulties for people, especially women and children, while travelling by road, a CMO statement said here.

There is also a situation that toilets at petrol pumps are restricted to its customers, it said adding that in this backdrop that the initiative of 12,000 toilet complexes is implemented in the southern state.

Those agencies willing to cooperate with the project would be made partners, the release said.

The land of government, public sector undertakings and cooperative institutions would be utilised for the purpose.

Tiny shops and snack parlours would also be set up adjacent to the toilets in potential areas, it said.

The construction and maintenance of the complexes would be in a manner that ensures hygiene and safety, the CM's Office statement said adding that the expense would be borne by respective local self government agencies.

