Working women demand more Thozhi hostels in Tiruchi

Given the overwhelming response to “Thozhi”, a scheme of the State government to provide accommodation for working women, professionals have stressed on the need for opening more such hostels in Tiruchi

Given the overwhelming response to “Thozhi”, a scheme of the State government to provide accommodation for working women, professionals have stressed on the need for opening more such hostels in Tiruchi. 

While there are two Thozhi hostels in Tiruchi, the hostel on Heber Road at Bheema Nagar accommodates 106 persons. There are 32 rooms in it, which was built at a cost of ₹5.63 crore with two and four sharing rooms, air-conditioners, an elevator, microwave oven, purified drinking water facilities, round-the-clock security, free Wi-Fi, biometric attendance, a recreation room, washing machine, and geyser facilities. 

Women working in both government and private sectors stay here. Doctors, engineers, police officers, bank employees, and others stay on a monthly rental basis. Most of them are from Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, and far away places. 

“We get everything here and we live in a secure environment. The hostel is always in high demand. We need more such hostels in Tiruchi. A large number of civil service aspirants stay here. A study room will be a great help for them to prepare for examinations,” says C. Kowsika, Senior Inspector, Cooperatives, an inmate belonging to Coimbatore. 

The rent is ₹3,200 a person in a four sharing room and ₹5,300 a person in a two sharing room. Many feel that the tariff is competitive and less than that of private hostels.  

“We give priority to working women in providing room. The rooms are always full. At any given time, there are 50 women in the waiting list,” says G. Rajalakshmi, Manager, Thozhi hostel on Heber Road in Tiruchi. 

A. Vijayalakshmi, District Social Welfare Officer, told The Hindu that there was a great demand for rooms in Thozhi hostels in Tiruchi. It was mainly because of the safe and secure environment with modern facilities. There was a demand for constructing more such hostels for women professionals. The demand had been taken to the notice of the senior officials of the State government in Chennai.