Chandigarh's Sector 38 Mahila Bhawan not serving its purpose

Sandeep Rana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 5

The local MC has failed to carry out women-centric activities at Rani Laxmi Bai Mahila Bhawan in Sector 38-C even after more than five years of its opening.

At the bhawan, which was built at a cost of around Rs22 crore, a police counselling centre on crime against women, a gynaecological counselling centre, a women library, an exhibition centre, a gym, a hostel and professional courses were planned.

The MC could not run the bhawan as its governing body could not be formed due to an apparent tussle between officers and councillors. It seems a consensus could not be reached on who all will be the members of the body. Of these planned activities, only a women gym could be started in 2017, but it too was shut down in a year despite the fact there were 350 women coming to the gym.

Councillor Arun Sood said, “There is no policy of hiring a gym trainer in the MC. It is only if the MC Commissioner wants he can work for six months. I have been constant contact with him to frame a policy, but all in vain.”

“The women empowerment centre of this level is nowhere in the country. Just like executive bodies of community centres, its governing body should also be made. But officers concerned did not bother till today while I have been taking up the matter,” said Sood.

MC Commissioner KK Yadav did not respond to calls seeking comment. Leader of Opposition in the MC and Congress councillor Devinder Singh Babla, said, “The bhawan was opened in our time. We had planned to open a women bank, a hostel for outstation women coming to take examination. A computer, a sewing machine, beauty parlour courses and a music centre were also planned. But due to lack of coordination in the BJP-ruled MC, it could not happen. And now the bhawan is now turning into a ‘khandar’.”

“It is a total wastage of money just like community centres, Sector 17 multi-level parking and Sector 16/17 underpass. If it’s a mahila bhawan, why don’t they make 100 local women its member and start running it. At least they will be able to conduct some activities,” said Baljinder Singh Bittu, chairman, Federation of Sectors Welfare Association of Chandigarh (FOSWAC).

Now, some of the bhawan’s area has been converted into an MC office. Some rooms have been rented out to art and cultural institutions. Last week, there was an agenda in the House to give it on rent to three instituions to earn revenue, but it was rejected.

“Mahila Bhawan was never built to earn revenue, it was envisioned as a women empowerment centre,” said Babla.

Was built for Rs 22 crore

• The foundation stone of Rani Laxmi Bai Mahila Bhawan was laid in 2009 by former Union Minister Ambika Soni and it was inaugurated in 2015.
• Built at a cost of around Rs22 crore, it is spread over an area of 1.3 acre. It has an auditorium with a seating capacity of 275 persons, an exhibition hall, a library, a kitchen, a pantry, a dining hall and a gymnasium.