As part of the state Tourism department’s initiative to provide mobile toilets at tourist spots lacking toilets, Tourism and Culture minister Satpal Maharaj sent off a mobile toilet for George Everest estate in Mussoorie on the birth anniversary of Deen Dayal Upadhyay. Remembering Upadhyay and paying his tributes to him, Maharaj said that this day had been chosen to launch the mobile toilet facility for chosen destinations. He said that the Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board is upgrading toilets on the Yatra route along with tourist information centres and bus shelters. The task of upgradation and modernisation of 54 toilets has been undertaken in the first phase. He said that these include seven toilets in Dehradun district, 24 in Tehri, eight in Rudraprayag and 15 in Uttarkashi. The upgradation of 37 toilets is proposed in Pauri and Chamoli districts in the second phase. The provision of mobile toilets is a part of this scheme. Five mobile toilets have been arranged in the first phase which will be placed at George Everest estate and Mussoorie. With separate facilities for women and men, these mobile toilets also have a two kilowatt solar plant to fulfill the electricity requirement of the mobile toilet. A total of 14 mobile toilets are proposed to be purchased for now of which five have been bought. Apart from the ones sent to the Mussoorie area, four are proposed to be placed in Haridwar, one in Chopta-Tungnath, one in Satpuli, one in Kaudiyala and one each at Kanwashram and Kalimath. The price of one mobile toilet is about Rs 16.50 lakh.