A deluxe toilet near the Income-Tax roundabout. Picture by Nagendra Kumar Singh

Patna, Aug. 20: Spending Rs 5.38 crore, the state government built 32 deluxe toilets in the state capital. But hardly any one is used. Reason: Lack of basics, even water.

The new deluxe toilets built in Gandhi Maidan, the area near the Income Tax roundabout and the bus stop at Mithapur, are in complete disarray. Unclean, some of them lack running water. Naturally, these are shunned by people.

The urban development department spent around Rs 5.38 crore on the construction of the deluxe toilets. An official source said each one cost around Rs 16.84 lakh.

Bihar Rajya Pul Nirman Nigam Limited (BRPNL) built them. The construction work was over in December last year.

Twenty toilets were provided to the PMC by the construction company, which awarded contracts through a tender to private parties to run these toilets.

However, the municipal corporation has not shown any interest in taking over the remaining 12 toilets. They are lying idle since their completion. BRPNL has to spend Rs 6,000 per month on each toilet to station guards. Though a number of letters have been written to PMC, no action has been taken in this regard.

The toilets that are already “functional” are unusable because of the unhygienic conditions.

An attendant at one of the three toilets in Gandhi Maidan said: “This place is dirty because there is no water. The sweeper comes from time to time, but we are unable to clean it.”

Another attendant said that the contractor paid their salary from the daily earnings of the toilet. He said: “We charge Re 1 for using the urinal and Rs 3 for bathing.”

The average income of the toilet is Rs 300 to Rs 500 daily.

A contractor had given up the business because the earnings were very low compared to the tender amounts paid to PMC.

The municipal corporation has fixed an amount of Rs 2 lakh to Rs 4 lakh as bidding amount, depending on the location of the toilets.

When asked about the miserable condition of the toilets, PMC commissioner Sridhar Chiruveli said, “You give me specific details about this and I will take action. However, for more details talk to the additional commissioners.”

Both the additional commissioners (planning and establishment) claimed ignorance and forwarded the matter to the chief engineer.

Even the mayor Afzal Imam did not have any clue about the scheme.