SAMBALPUR: Decks were cleared for setting up of the much-awaited Working Women’s Hostel in the city. After struggling to get suitable land for construction of the proposed women’s hostel, a patch of land was identified at Kainsir area. The Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (IDCO) would execute the work.
Manager, IDCO, Sambalpur Division, Sanjib Kumar Panda said the district administration had already identified the land measuring about one acre for construction of the hostel. The design and plan for the proposed three-storied hostel building had been prepared by IDCO. The estimated cost of the 100-bedded women’s hostel is `3.5 crore.
The tender for construction of the building would be floated after the soil test, Panda added. “They have set a target to complete the work within one year from the date of handing over the work order to the firm,” he said.
Panda said a land was identified for the women’s hostel at Burla. However, they rejected the land for the project as a high tension line runs over the land. They had apprised the district administration of the issue and requested for an alternative land for the project, he said.
The hostel will provide accommodation for working women, unmarried women, widows, divorcees, separated women and the ones receiving training for employment.
Availing a suitable accommodation is a difficult task for the working women in the city. The women are forced to stay in rented houses in the absence of a working women’s hostel. Moreover, they are exposed to insecurity and lack of safety.
A working women’s hostel was set up at Balibandha area here in the nineties. However, the hostel did not receive good response. After lying unused for some years, the building was converted into a rehabilitation centre for the physically challenged.