The Grand Washroom Makeover
Swachh Bharat has been the buzzword from the time of its inception, though as a country we have just touched the tip of the iceberg when it comes to keeping our surroundings clean, IOXRA FM in collaboration with Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has taken a giant leap to establish first of its kind Loo Café in Hyderabad. It is a self-sustaining luxury public washroom that is safe, clean and eco-friendly. Travelers Times in conversation with Abhishek Nath, Founder, and CEO of IOXRA FM finds out more about this innovative project.
Coming out of a public toilet with a handkerchief pressed to the nose or maybe even not daring to enter it in the first place, we have all been there. Many of us at some point had to purchase coffee or snacks from a swanky café just to use a clean toilet. Though public toilets have a steady workforce still its maintenance is very poor and unhygienic. Moreover, there are no public toilets designed for disabled people. Keeping these concerns in mind, IOXRA FM, a Digital Asset Management Company in collaboration with Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) have set up eco-friendly luxury public toilets for men, women and disabled people. One of its kind has opened doors to the public at Hi-Tech city opposite Shilparamam answering the prayers of the commuters. Since the IT hub gets maximum footfall Loocafe is a huge blessing for office goers and tourists alike. What makes Loocafe a great hit is that the state-of-the-art washrooms come along with facilities like a cafe where snacks and beverages are available below Rs. 30, there is an ATM where one can refill their wallets and free WI-FI that comes handy for anyone on the go.
The high-end finish of the luxury toilets might give the impression that the structure is made of granite. Interestingly, it is made of prefabricated wood that is fire-proof and insect-proof. This prefabricated structure comes with thermal insulation to control temperature, stink sensors to regulate the quality of air and easy to wash surfaces that keep the area dry. The unit is equipped with CCTV cameras and advanced facial recognition software to provide more security, especially to women. There are three separate bio washrooms for men, women, and people with special needs. A wheelchair ramp is provided for the washroom meant for the differently-abled and this facility is a first of its kind in the country. There is a sanitary napkin vending machine and each costing just Rs. 5 in the women’s washroom and a dedicated disposable bin for it. Since these are bio-toilets water is not wasted instead it is used to nourish the plants of the vertical garden.
This compact 170 square feet space has all the facilities a person might need while on the road. There are air coolers to make the place comfortable given the summers are scorching and the weather remains warm throughout the year and at the same time controlling the consumption of electricity through solar panels. There is a dedicated radio station that runs information on hygiene and Swachh Telangana. These smart toilets are free of cost and it is maintained by the revenues generated by the café. Those who regularly visit the loo café are even given an access card. The solid infrastructure and facilities designed out of thoughtfulness make it versatile and sustainable.
Loo cafe is the result of innovative and out of the box thinking after a lot of brainstorming. Abhishek Nath mentions, “Having worked with Facility Management Industry, in leadership roles and after managing several malls, hospitals, and corporate office for more than eighteen years, toilets and washrooms were always top of our agenda. Clean toilets send out a loud message that the building is well maintained.” Following the passion of spreading “Joy” of cleaning Ixora Corporate Services worked towards changing the poor perception of Indian toilets and Loo cafe was a result of several brainstorming sessions. He further adds, “It has been a journey from the drawing board to execution in the shortest possible time frame.” They worked with lots of passion and positivity to give this innovative idea a proper shape. The motivation and compliments that they received from the first launch of the Loo café in Hyderabad keep them going and they want to establish a similar loo cafe with new facilities at hundred more locations in Hyderabad that can be easily located through a mobile application- Loo café Locator.
Perhaps, the passion and commitment shown by Ixora FM inspired GHMC to support and grant permission for this project wholeheartedly. Harichandana Dasari, GHMC’s zonal and additional commissioner who is closely associated with this project from the start points out that Loo cafe has sorted out both revenue and committed workforce that is usually the obstacles. Since the focus is on maintenance for which monetary support is vital the cafe brings in the revenue and the ATM resolves the rental charges and provides extra security through the personnel stationed there. The feedback received from the users so far has been incorporated to improve the services. Cleanliness is given the highest priority so that users will not hesitate to buy from the cafe located adjacent to a public toilet. A similar initiative was introduced in Indore but not on such a large scale.
Apart from introducing bio-toilets as a part of this project, several other ecological sustainable steps are taken to reduce the carbon footprint such as-
Recycling shipping containers
Introducing OWC or RVM technologies in the units to manage water effectively.
Work towards an off-grid model to make loo cafe accessible to those living in remote areas
Start loocafe green where the structure will be made of recyclable plastic
All the containers and cutlery used in the cafe are plant-based thus bio-degradable
Abhishek informs, “I am personally working to build a more inclusive startup an initiative towards washroom tech and incorporate next-gen steps towards water conservation.” He further adds, “Since, toilet science is a subject in its own right, technology has to be effectively implemented.”
Creating a structure is one thing while cleaning and maintenance are another and Loocafe has won in both departments. Since cleaning and maintaining are not easy or rather a “thankless” job yet critical, team Ixora FM worked at training and culture-building while starting the employment process as expertise was critical in this field. Now the staff has a headcount of more than a hundred who make Loocafe a success every single day, even after a year of its launch by Telangana IT and industries minister, KT Rama Rao at Hi-Tech City.
In the future, to make the washrooms more hygienic a nudge model will be introduced so that people don’t have to touch doorknobs that usually carry germs. There are plans to introduce cleaning robots to make maintenance regular and cost-effective. Ixora is also working towards using technology is a way to cut down the building cost of the loo café is more support comes their way. Technology has been intelligently utilised to improve both sanitation and hygiene that directly impacts public health and generates employment through this self-sustaining loo cafe model. This is not just lip service by a corporate company as they are going the extra mile to ensure its maintenance even after the project has been completed. Having launched Loo cafe successfully in Hyderabad, IXORA FM is looking to take loo café to Mumbai, Indore, Pune, Chennai, and Mohali to name a few places in their radar.
Loo cafe is indeed a game-changer when it comes to improving the GDP of the country in terms of sanitation and employment. It is also a great step to ingrain cleanliness in the DNA of the netizens and make them aware of how vital is it to save the resources and protect the environment for the posterity.
This article was published in Traveller Times. It is to support the cause Atmanirbhar Bharat(self reliant) and Swacchh Bharat (Clean India). May our country stay the cleanest, prosperous and brightest!!
