Months after the lockdown in March, a small number of working women have started coming back to hostels in the neighbourhood.
The women’s hostel owners say that inmates, working in government and private companies are reporting back, slowly. They say this happened after the state government allowed such companies to function with 100 % staff.
However, on the flip side, some hostels have closed down.
Says the owner of a women’s hostel in San Thome, “Most of our inmates are school and college students. Since these educational institutions are yet to re-open, the girls have not returned to hostel. However, some 6 women working in government offices have come back.”
A hostel in Sollaiappan street has closed down as none of its inmates returned after the March lockdown. Said its owner, “I have closed my hostel, as none of the inmates returned after lockdown. They are all IT goers and hence are working from home. I have no idea what to do next.”
The manager at another hostel in Luz said, “Some 5/6 women working in government/ private offices have come back. However, as IT-goers have been allowed to work from home, 10 of our inmates, who work in that field have vacated their rooms and gone to their hometown. Although this trend is worrying, we are happy that new admissions are slowly increasing.”
In the past few days, few women working as doctors and bank employees have taken admission to our hostel, she adds.
