LUCKNOW, June 24 -- After years of lying locked and neglected, 72 pink toilets across Lucknow are set for revival under a fresh plan by the Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC), which aims to entrust their operation and maintenance to individual women entrepreneurs, confirmed LMC environmental engineer Sanjeev Pradhan on Monday.

"These toilets were built under the Safe City Project, for women's safety and convenience, but most were shut down within months after being handed to NGOs and private agencies without any financial model," Pradhan said.

As part of the new plan, each pink toilet will be clubbed with a 36-square-foot shop and advertising space. The units will be tendered exclusively to women applicants. While the public will be al...