The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) is currently engaged in revision of Draft Unified Building Bye-Laws 2015. In this process, apart from modifying various provisions of Building Bye-Laws 1983, focus has been made to enhance the public toilet facilities for women.
"For DDA, the rules will come into effect from today itself and so all our future projects will comply with this norm of 50:50 instead of the old 60:40 male-female ratio for such facilities," DDA Vice-Chairman Arun Goel told reporters.
"We had a meeting with representatives from municipal corporations and other other stakeholders, and they have also in principle agreed to implement this. And, once the Unified Building Bye-Laws 2015 are implemented all buildings would follow this norm, but we have implemented it from today only," the vice-chairman said.
The Building Bye Laws 1983 and the National Building Code 2005 had adopted 60:40 male-female ratio for public toilets.
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"As per revised byelaws, for a gathering of 500 people, the ratio now will be 250 male:250 female. So, for 250 males would be four WCs and four urinals, and for 250 female it would now be 11 WCs," Goel said.
Similarly, for institutional building hospital (OPD), for a footfall of 500 visitors, the provision of WCs for women has been increased. So, for from males (3 WCs + 3 urinals) to (5 WCs + 5 urinals) and for females from 4 WCs to 8 WCs.
As per new byelaws, in restaurants also the number of WCs for women prescribed has been doubled from the original scheme. Earlier it was a single WC per 50 women and now it is two WC per 50 women norm, it said.