Mega toilet complex opened at Pandharpur pilgrimage town

With an aim to cater to the needs of millions of devotees at Pandharpur pilgrimage town, an NGO has built 1,417 toilets in eight complexes there, in less than three years, claiming, it is the world's largest such facility.
Terming the project as a landmark, sanitation expert and Sulabh International founder Bindeshwar Pathak said these mega structures are situated in the vicinity of the temple town which witnesses congregation of lakhs of devotees.
Four buildings were operational for the last one year and now four more such structures are going to be operational ahead of the 'Ashadhi Yatra', a release said.

Each building consists of 282 toilet and bath compartments and provides facility of lockers as well as changing rooms for devotees, the release said.
The project was financed and supported by Maharashtra government, it said.
Giving a boost to the Prime Minister's ambitious 'Clean India Campaign', Sulabh International has constructed the cluster of eight mega toilet apartments comprising at least 1,417 toilet units, the release said.
With the opening of all eight three-storey mega toilet buildings today, over 1.5 lakh persons can use toilets daily. A provision has also been made to facilitate bathing of several hundred persons simultaneously, it said.

"So far, we have completed first two phases and by the end of next year there will be a total 2,858 toilet blocks," Pathak said.