Abitkar tells KMC to build toilets for Mahalaxmi devotees

Kolhapur: Co-guardian minister Madhuri Misal along with all the MLAs from Kolhapur district, during the district planning and development council (DPDC) meeting held on Monday, vented their displeasure over the lack of toilets for women in and around Mahalaxmi temple.

Later, district guardian minister Prakash Abitkar ordered the Kolhapur Municipal Corporation (KMC) to set up temporary, clean and functional toilets for the devotees visiting the temple.

During the weekends, hundreds of thousands of devotees come to the temple for darshan. However, many of them are displeased over the lack of adequate toilets, especially for women.

Abitkar said that Kolhapur’s administration has spent 100% of Rs765 crore allocated for expenditure during the 2025-26 and now an expense outlay of Rs826 crore has been made for 2026-27.

“Around Rs693 crore will be spent on primary schools, anganwadi, renovation of govt offices, strengthening of the healthcare system, providing requirements for police, building barrages, roads, flood control and for sports infrastructure. New initiatives like surveying the residential areas of the city, starting solid waste management, providing tours to students of ZP schools to ISRO will continue,” said Abitkar.