Lucknow to get modern ‘pink toilets’ for women

To give the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan a boost, the district administration & Nagar Nigam will jointly install plush ‘pink’ toilets exclusively for women in the state capital. “These pink toilets will be different from the usual public toilets. To begin with, these toilets will be air-conditioned and will only be meant for ladies,” said additional municipal commissioner PK Srivastava. He said the toilets would come up by the next financial year.

This initiative is an outcome of a recent government order, in which municipal corporations and district administrations were instructed to ensure the installation of pink toilets. Srivastava said the toilets would also have round-the-clock water supply as well as a separate section that will contain a sanitary napkin dispensing machine. “There will also be a separate place where ladies can breastfeed their babies. The toilets will also be equipped with portable incinerators for disposing of sanitary napkins and tissue papers,” he added. Initially, the construction agencies will establish around 40 toilets. Later, the number will be increased in phases. Officials said the pink toilets — the most modern toilets to be planned in the city so far — will take the Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan to new heights. “The toilets will be ultramodern and packed with amenities of all sorts,” said an official of Nagar Nigam — the agency that will ensure the installation of the toilets. Efforts are also being taken to ensure that the toilets are managed by ladies staffers.

Nagar Nigam officials said their staffers had surveyed and shortlisted some 40 spots for installing these pink toilets. According to the survey, officials have identified densely populated localities and market places as the first beneficiaries of this scheme. Some of these localities are — 1090 crossing, Janpath market, Hazratganj crossing, Aminabad, Qaiserbagh, Rajajipuram, Charbagh Bus station, Alambagh, Chandernagar, Ashiana and Old city areas. However, this is perhaps not the only effort made to add conveniences for the fairer sex. In 2016, the district administration had directed city-based fuel stations to ensure clean toilets on their premises. And other than having regular toilets, the administration had also directed them to have one toilet designed for the physically challenged users.