The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to run public toilets in the city using solar energy to expand the use of renewable energy in urban infrastructure. The initiative aims to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply while reducing dependence on the conventional power grid.

Under the initiative, PV solar panels will be fixed on selected public toilets in the city. The systems will ensure that all necessary services such as lights, water pumps, ventilation fans, and other electrical appliances continue to function even when there is no electricity.

This initiative will not only provide reliable power supply, but it will also help save on electricity used from the grid and decrease operation expenses in the long run. This plan also fits into the bigger picture of making the country of India greener by incorporating renewable sources of energy.

This project is yet another extension of the existing efforts by BMC to incorporate solar energy in various municipal activities. The last few years have seen a lot of effort from the civic administration for the installation of solar energy in various civic facilities such as street lighting, civic building, water kiosk and so forth.

Effective sanitation system is key to the development of cities and improvement of people’s health condition. The implementation of this project will ensure that public toilets continue operating properly in the event of power failure, thus enhancing the experience of the users.

If the first phase turns out to be a success, BMC will further extend its efforts to other public toilets in the future. The approach demonstrates a trend that many Indian cities have been adopting in which they are increasingly looking to integrate renewable energy sources with public utility facilities.