The Water and Sanitation Program January 2007 is an international partnership for improving water and sanitation sector policies, practices, and capacities to 71923 serve poor people Case Study Slum Sanitation Program in Mumbai Stakeholder Participation Paves Way for Sustainability A novel initiative that gives slum dwellers and non-governmental organizations a role in the design, implementation, and care of basic urban sanitation facilities is under way in Greater Mumbai’s densely- populated slum areas. The initiative is already showing signs of success and sustainability. What is more, it is engendering development beyond basic sanitation in hygiene. Here are some highlights from the case study. An important outcome of the project has been the coming together of stakeholders in a partnership that enables each of them to play the role that best suits them. includes the creation of competent The Challenge Project Design CBOs and Small Local Business In Greater Mumbai’s densely-populated and Approach Enterprises (SLBEs) capable of taking slum areas, which account for more over the management of the service, than 50 percent of the city’s 16 million- The project is designed to improve including payment of utility bills; the plus population, toilets are generally not the health and environmental conditions delivery of an information package available. Where they are, the toilets are of about one million slum dwellers for users on hygiene, program in deplorable conditions, forcing the in Greater Mumbai, aided by the keen implementation and management; people to use open, public spaces for involvement of non-governmental construction of the community defecation that expose the city to major organizations (NGOs) and community- toilet block and the provision of health and environment hazards. based organizations (CBOs). complementary utility services such as water and electricity. The toilets can The Slum and Sanitation Project (SSP) The Way Forward package comprises both ‘hardware’ be built in notified and non-notified slums. If the slums are on private land, Recognizing the need to ensure basic (physical work, for example, the owner’s permission is required for sanitation services for the urban poor in construction of toilets and provision the construction of the toilets. Mumbai, a project aimed at providing of water and electricity to the facilities) Institutional Arrangements community toilets in the slums was and ‘software’ (for instance, creation initiated in the city in 1995 as part of of management and information Participation of NGOs in key aspects the Bombay Sewage Disposal channels and information packages of the project was built into the Project (BSDP). to the users) components. The program institutional arrangements worked 2 Slum Sanitation Program in Mumbai: Stakeholder Participation Paves Way for Sustainability out for implementation. The Municipal MCGM and CBO or SLBE and helping government officials, and advertising Corporation of Greater Mumbai the CBO or SLBE to take over as professionals for the communications (MCGM) carries out the bidding service providers. exercise. Institutes such as The Tata process, which enables NGO Institute of Social Sciences also participation. The contracts include a Mobilization assisted the NGOs. range of activities based on certain and Communication Project Costs and checklists and minimum specifications. Spreading awareness about the Sources of Finance The steps include initiating program initiative, creating willingness to information campaigns and participate and, importantly, to raise The total project cost is estimated at assessments of willingness to the necessary contributions from the Rs. 1,260 million (US$28 million),1 participate; creating CBOs or SLBEs; people was part of a comprehensive which is borne by the MCGM with a collecting user deposits of communications strategy in the project. World Bank loan covering 60 percent at least 50 percent of the expected The contracted NGOs were given of the costs. The approximate cost of funds; drawing up a plan for the toilet the charge of undertaking the construction per seat is Rs. 70,000 block; getting a building permit from communications exercise and to raise (US$1,500), including the cost of water the MCGM; constructing toilet blocks; the upfront contributions for the supply and electricity connections. The signing a Memorandum of construction of the toilets. The NGOs 1 US$1 = Rs. 44.54 (as of December 15, 2006). Conversion rates from Understanding (MoU) between the roped in experts, retired state www.xe.com. All conversions from Rs. to US$ are approximate. 3 community bears the operation and and do not have monthly passes, there maintenance costs. Before a community is a charge of Rs. 1 (US$0.02) per use. toilet can be built in a slum, the residents The money brought in by this floating must pay an upfront contribution of population is a major source of income Rs. 100 (US$2.24) per adult (with a for the community toilets. maximum of Rs. 500, or US$11, per family). This money is put into a joint Progress So Far account with the CBO and the Municipality; it is used for major repairs By mid-2005, over 328 toilet blocks or expansion of the toilets once their and more than 5,100 toilet seats use has begun. had been constructed in slums across Mumbai under the Slum and Sanitation Once the toilet complex has been Project. It is being implemented constructed and handed over to the under a larger initiative—the Bombay CBO, it is free for the CBO to set a Sewage Disposal Project. Each monthly charge per family. This charge toilet seat is estimated to cover is usually between Rs. 10 to Rs. 30 50 users, which means more than (US$0.22 to 0.67) per family per month. 250,000 people in the slums have For people who do not live in the area been provided safe sanitation services. Highlights An important outcome of the project has been the coming together of stakeholders in a partnership • The slum dwellers maintain the facilities themselves through CBOs or SLBEs. that enables each of them to play • The operation and maintenance costs are borne by the community. the role that best suits them. The slum • The bidding qualifications and mechanisms are flexible enough to facilitate dwellers themselves are involved in NGO participation, either in association with construction firms or alone. the maintenance and upkeep of these • Lack of availability of land sometimes causes major hindrance to the process. toilets through community-based organizations or Small Local Business • Various stakeholders work together in a partnership that enables them Enterprises. The community bears the to play the role that best suits them. cost of the operation and maintenance • The community toilets have come to serve as a ‘center’ for the community, of these facilities. Interestingly, the where additional activities have arisen, such as schools and libraries. community toilets have become • The family responsible for keeping the place clean lives on the first floor community ‘spaces’ to also foster of the facility, thus encouraging them to perform their duties better. other development activities such as schools and libraries. References • ‘General Statistics’, Bombay First, www.bombayfirst.org/g-statistics.htm. Mumbai. 2005. • Chinai, R. 2002. ‘Mumbai slum dwellers’ sewage project goes nationwide.’ Bulletin of the World Health Organization. Mumbai. • Risbud, N. Urban Slum Reports: The case of Mumbai, India. School of Planning and Architecture. New Delhi. • Nitti, R., and Sarkar, S. 2003. Reaching the Poor through Sustainable Partnerships: The Slum Sanitation Program in Mumbai, India. The World Bank. Urban Notes No 7. Washington, D.C. • SPARC (Society for the Promotion of Area Resource Centers). • The Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai.