CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Monday inaugurated the state’s first government-run co-working and learning space, ‘Muthalvar Padaippagam’, on Jagannathan Street in Agaram, Kolathur.
Set up at a cost of Rs 2.85 crore, the facility spans across three floors — the ground floor will function as co-working space, first floor will be a learning centre with a library and the second floor, a cafeteria.
The facility, developed as part of the ‘Vada Chennai Valarchi Thittam’ has been jointly established by the Greater Chennai Corporation and the Chennai Metro Development Authority.
The co-working space includes a 38-seater room with individual work desks with charging points, three conference rooms (two four-seater rooms and one six-seater room), and a place to store belongings. The facility is aimed to help men and women who have been unable to start their own businesses due to insufficient space, according to a release.
The space will be open from 9 am to 9 pm. For using a desk at the co-working space for half a day, a fee of Rs 50 will be charged and for a full day, Rs 100 will be charged. The monthly membership has been fixed at Rs 2,500. For 4-seater meeting rooms, Rs 150 will be charged per hour and for the 6-seater meeting room, Rs 250.
The learning centre can accommodate 51 people at a time. The facility, aimed to help people preparing for UPSC and other competitive exams, has a provision to store 2,000 books.
The fee for the learning centre, open from 6 am to 11 pm, is Rs 5 per person for 2.5 hours. The second floor houses a 30-seater rooftop cafeteria with toilet facility.
The reservation for seats can be made through https://gccservices.chennaicorporation.gov.in/muthalvarpadaippagam. The entire facility is air-conditioned, has wi-fi access and is open on all days.
At Kolathur, Stalin also inaugurated three multi-purpose centre buildings costing Rs 80.90 lakh, laid the foundation for 77 transformer substations valued at Rs 3 crore, a women’s gym building valued at Rs 43 lakh and a library building valued Rs 38.50 lakh.
He also reviewed the renovation of a pool in G.K.M. Colony at a cost of Rs 1.47 crore and distributed laptops to 107 students who completed training at Anitha Achievers Academy and sewing machines to 350 women.