KOCHI: Providing safe accommodation for women at affordable rates, Kochi Corporation’s She Lodge has become a reality. The first such one was inaugurated by Minister for Local Self-Government M B Rajesh on Tuesday. “It is time for Kudumbashree to embrace the new possibilities available in the new era,” Rajesh said during the opening of She Lodge@Kochi on North Paramara Road.
The corporation launched the programme as one of the major initiatives following Samridhi@Kochi, the Rs 10-budget meal programme. The corporation spent Rs 4.8 crore to convert the hotel complex it owned at Paramara Road into the She Lodge. The lodge has a total of 95 rooms, of which 45 rooms will be rented out to students and working women each month, and the rest will be given to women who visit the city for a short stay.
The She Lodge also has two dormitory facilities. The rent for the stay is Rs 150 per day, which includes Rs 100 rent and the remaining for the cost of food from Samridhi. The final room rent will be fixed after discussing it with the council. The civic body plans to provide rate concessions for financially backward women.
Kochi Corporation-owned Hotel Libra which was earlier used for temporarily accommodating residents from the banks of the Perandoor canal was converted into She Lodge. Each room comes with a toilet and study facility. A library will also be set up at the lodge. There would be round-the-clock security at the lodge. The CCTV surveillance has also been arranged for the safety of residents.
Kudumabshree is a model to empower women and has attracted over 48 lakh women across the state. The Kochi Corporation officials said that along with this, 10 outlets of Kudumbashree will be opened at Kochi Metro stations. Mayor M Anilkumar, MLA T J Vinod, Deputy Mayor K A Ansiya, chairperson of, the Welfare Standing Committee Sheeba Lal and Development Standing Committee chairman P R Renish attended the event.