Unhygienic toilets mar VUDA Health Arena's beauty

VISAKHAPATNAM: K Nehru Patnaik, 76-year-old Indian Railway retired employee from HB Colony, who takes a walk at the VUDA Health Arena everyday, says that the public toilets are not maintained at all.
The urinals and commodes are dirty, broken and do not have water. There is no attendant to collect the user charges and the smell makes it difficult to even enter the place."The government is talking about Swachh Bharat, but the mission rules are flouted at the arena which has no proper toilets," Patnaik said.
When TOI inspected the condition of the civic services, particularly toilets, on Monday, others also echoed the same concern. P Kiran, another walker and a Vizag port employee, said even though VUDA Health Arena is a prestigious project of the urban development authority, it is not paying attention to the toilets which are essential in every public area.
US national George Michael, who visited the city on business, told TOI that the unhygienic conditions of the toilets ruin the beauty of the arena. "I must laud the authorities for building such a lovely walking track along the lush green Kailasagiri. However, the toilets need maintanance and I hope that the issue is resolved soon," Michael said.
P Ranjini, a software employee, said, "There is a common toilet for both ladies and gents. They should be built separately without being clubbed in a single platform. There is also no running water. Apart from the toilets, some streetlights are needed inside the arena. The defunct streetlights trouble evening walkers like me."
When contacted, VUDA secretary A Srinivas said they have received complaints about the unhygenic condition of the toilets inside the arena and the authority is coming up with a plan to address the problem. "We want to temporarily hand over the maintenance to someone who looks after Sulabh Complexes in the city. VUDA is also planning to set up eco-friendly Namma toilets in the arena on the lines of Chennai. Each toilet costs around Rs 12 lakh. We will first set up the toilet at the office on a trial basis. Later, they would set them up at public places like parks and the health arena," Srinivas said.
According to VUDA chief engineer M Appanna, VUDA built the arena at a cost of Rs 1.5 crore. In January this year, a giant Lord Buddha statue was inaugurated inside the arena besides meditation points. The arena consists of a cycling and walking track of 4 kilometres in both sides. Nearly 1,500 walkers daily visit the arena in the morning and 500 in the evening. The number increases during holidays. "Till now, we are allowing the walkers free of cost. We will collect charges in the future," Appanna said.