KOCHI: A ‘women corridor’. The city corporation has been keeping the unique project under its wraps. But soon, the ‘women corridor’ is likely to be a reality. ‘A safe pathway for all’, is how the corporation has envisaged the project. “At present the path envisaged is from the Government College for Women, Vazhuthacaud to the Cotton Hill School. The pathways will be made more friendly and safer to traverse,” said Deputy Mayor Rakhi Ravikumar.
And it is not just a ‘women corridor’ that the corporation has up its sleeves. ‘She Toilets’ and breastfeeding centres will also be set up by the Corporation. “The major constraints we face is the lack of available spaces. She-toilet is something we have been planning to launch for some time. But most of the government departments are unwilling to lend space to set up such a facility,” she added.
But the corporation intends to go ahead with its decision and in one year, the city is set to receive breastfeeding centres and She toilets. “We will be modelling it based on the She toilet and breast feeding station set up in Museum. It will be more comfortable for the womenfolk,” she said.
Last month a breastfeeding and a She toilet were launched in the premises of the Museum. “We have seen such facilities in airports. But there is a lack of breastfeeding centres in the public. So we decided to launch one in Museum,” K Gangadharan Director, Museums and Zoo, said. The nursing station is set up adjacent to the She-toilet, making it convenient for the womenfolk.
The city has a legacy of failed projects when considering the e-toilets that have been set up over the past few years. The much-touted e-toilets failed to be a hit among the denizens. Although there are around seven comfort stations in the city limits, a facility dedicated to women considering their privacy is lacking in the city.
The ‘She Toilets’ installed by the Kerala State Women Development Corporation (KSWDC) in the city has proven to be more successful, said K S Saleekha, the chairperson of KSWDC, though she remains clueless as to how many ‘She toilets’ have been installed in the city.