CVMs in poor state

Of the 3,100 condom vending machines in Mumbai, only 2,400 are functional

Of the 3,100 condom vending machines in Mumbai, only 2,400 are functional

Condom vending machines, meant to save lives by promoting safe sex, are increasingly the target of vandalism by miscreants and ignorant customers.

Three years after the machines were installed across the city, the number of dispensers has risen from 250 to 3,100 from Mumbai to Kalyan. However, only 2,400 of these are fully functional.

Frustrated

Rajesh Nainakwal, programme manager of the Hindustan Latex Family Promotion Trust (HLFPT) that maintains the machines, said, "Some machines like those in Kamathipura are taken care of extremely well, as those around are aware of its importance.

However, in places like Kurla railway station, there is a machine on platform 4 that has been broken innumerable times."

Easy and Safe: Inserting a Rs 5 coin into a condom vending machine can get you a two-condom packet.

Each machine costs Rs 6,000 and the Trust says that the manufacturers are fed up. "They are not making a profit.
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The sensitive dynamo in the machine that accepts coins alone costs Rs 2,500. It is constantly spoiled by people who try to insert fake coins," said Nainakwal.

In the Sonapur red light district area in Bhandup, the Trust has recovered the most fake coins and spoiled machines.

Railway stations

Of the 17,000 condoms sold so far, a third of the sales come from machines installed at railway stations.

The most popular CVM machine, however, is in the heart of Kurla's vegetable market on the west side.
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"We have to refill the machine every three days at least," said Nainakwal, adding, however, that the average is less than one condom sold per day. Each machine holds 25 packets containing two to three condoms each.

Social workers, however, maintain otherwise.

Rajesh Sinha, the secretary of Manav Kalyan Sanstha, an NGO working for Aids awareness, said, "We regularly refill the condom vending machines and I am happy that more and more commuters are using it."

With inputs from Santoshee Mishra