Thozhi hostels and the affordability factor

A year after the State Government established hostels for working women, The Hindu Downtown  does a status check on these facilities

The Thozhi hostels run by Tamil Nadu Working Women’s Hostels Corporation gets a thumbs-up for the sophisticated features it offers users; but it does not score significantly on the affordability count.

Currently, three such facilities are being run in Chennai — one in Adyar and the others in Guduvancherry and Tambaram Sanatorium.

For a stay numbering less than 15 days, the fare ranges from ₹600 to ₹1,200 a day (price varies on the basis of the number of occupants) as per details mentioned on https://www.tnwwhcl.in.

This fare does not include food and can be a burden for someone coming from the districts in search of employment in the city or for one working as a grey collar worker.

Some months ago, author and activist Shalin Maria Lawrence put out a post on X noting that the rates are exorbitant “considering the fact that the State Government gets subsidy from the Central Government for this scheme”. The post also had a circular that gives the break-up in terms of the support from the two tiers of the government.

Those running private hostels also feel the fee being charged is higher than the rate fixed by them.

“A majority of the private hostels charge ₹400 a day, so for a government set-up, this is high,” says G. Jaganathan, member of South Chennai Hostel Owners Association. He says many women have to support their families back home, so they want an accommodation with food that can be within ₹ 6,000.