What if residents of Delhi’s slum clusters could access toilets, showers, washing machines and clean drinking water under one roof, at subsidised rates? The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) is piloting a community amenity centre in South Delhi’s RK Puram, modelled on Mumbai’s ‘Suvidha centres’ , which combine hygiene, sanitation and laundry facilities.
Officials said 24 such units are operational in Mumbai. There were 837 public toilets in Delhi, 613 of which were under the jurisdiction of the MCD. Additionally, the MCD maintains 128 out of 360 community toilet complexes.
Mumbai’s Suvidha centres are community hygiene and sanitation hubs developed through public-private partnerships involving Hindustan Unilever Limited, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, HSBC India and the JSW Foundation. To ensure high standards of hygiene, the premises will be monitored every four hours. DUSIB’s community toilet complexes contain only washrooms and bathing facilities. A network of public and community toilets already exists across Delhi.
Previously, such facilities in Delhi were developed by the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) in or near slum clusters; however, these often fell into disrepair or became unhygienic, rendering them unusable—and they frequently lacked the full range of amenities.
In September 2026, the Delhi government announced a plan to construct 2,000 modern public toilets in the capital. 2026, 173 new sites for community toilets have been identified, and standard designs and cost estimates for their construction have been prepared, according to an MCD review report dated October 21. Meanwhile, 51 toilet blocks are currently operational under the BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer) model, with another 10 under construction. Furthermore, tenders have been received for the maintenance of 180 toilets, and the process is underway for an additional 350.
