Mohali: Punjab social security, women and child development minister Dr Baljit Kaur on Friday inaugurated the construction of a seven-storey Working Women Hostel in Sector 66, Mohali. Estimated to cost Rs 70 crore, the state-of-the-art facility will accommodate 484 working women upon completion, making it the largest government-run hostel of its kind in the state.
The foundation stone was laid in the presence of Mohali MLA Kulwant Singh. Dr Kaur stated that the public works department is executing the project on a priority basis to provide safe, dignified, and highly affordable housing for women professionals employed away from their hometowns.
The building is designed to feature single rooms, double-occupancy rooms, and dormitory facilities to offer flexible accommodation options at nominal rental charges. To support working mothers, the complex will include an on-site crèche for children alongside indoor recreational spaces.
This project marks the third government-run working women hostel currently under construction in Mohali. The other two include a Rs 25.26 crore facility for 150 residents at Nift in Phase I, and a Rs 12.57 crore facility for 100 residents in Sector 79. The minister noted that a 100 person-capacity hostel is already operational in Bathinda inside a rented Red Cross building, adding that the department is prepared to set up similar rented or permanent facilities wherever demand arises.
MLA Kulwant Singh noted that as Mohali rapidly emerges as a major industrial, educational, and service sector hub, this residential project will benefit working women arriving from different parts of Punjab and the rest of the country.
Five Hostels Being Constructed Across Punjab
Punjab minister Dr Baljit Kaur stated that the public works department is currently constructing five working women hostels across Mohali, Jalandhar, and Amritsar to strengthen infrastructure for working women statewide.
Beyond the three ongoing projects in Mohali, the department is building a hostel for 100 women at the Gandhi Vanita Ashram in Jalandhar at an estimated cost of Rs 10.11 crore. Another facility designed to accommodate 150 women is under construction in Amritsar at a cost of Rs 27.34 crore. The minister expressed confidence that all five projects will be completed within their stipulated timeframes.
