Mohali to get 3 working women hostels by 2026 end: Minister Baljit Kaur

Mohali: The city is set to get three working women hostels by the end of 2026, said social security, women and child development minister Dr Baljit Kaur. The announcement came in response to a question raised by Aam Aadmi Party MLA from Mohali, Kulwant Singh, in the vidhan sabha.
During the sixth day of the eighth session of the 16th Punjab vidhan sabha, MLA Kulwant Singh emphasised the rapid development of Mohali as an Educity, Medicity, and IT hub, attracting a huge number of working women. He highlighted the need for safe and secure accommodation, citing concerns over security risks, including instances of looting. He questioned whether the government had considered a proposal for constructing working women hostels and, if so, asked for the expected timeline for completion.
Responding to his concerns, minister Dr Baljit Kaur confirmed that the government has approved the construction of three working women hostels in SAS Nagar.
The first hostel will be built in Sector 79, Mohali, on a 0.98-acre plot at an estimated cost of Rs 12.57 crore. This facility will accommodate 100 working women and will be funded under the Nirbhaya Fund. Of the total amount, 60% (Rs 7.54 crore) will be provided by the central government, while the remaining 40% (Rs 5.03 crore) will be funded by the Punjab government. The funds from the central government are expected to be received soon, following which construction will commence.
The second hostel will be located on a five-acre plot in Sector 66, Mohali. This project, planned for 350 working women, will be built on 3.5 acres at a cost of Rs 73.85 crore. The central government has approved its funding under the special assistance to states for capital investment (SASCI) scheme.
The third hostel will be constructed within the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) Phase-1, Mohali. It will accommodate 150 working women and has also received approval for funding under the SASCI scheme.
The construction of all three hostels will commence once the necessary estimates are prepared and tenders are invited. The government anticipates their completion by the end of 2026.
Minister Dr Baljit Kaur also announced that under the leadership of chief minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, the Punjab social security, women and child development department is launching six working women hostels across Punjab.
Apart from the three in Mohali, similar hostels will be established in Jalandhar, Amritsar, and Bathinda. With a total budget of Rs 150 crore, these hostels aim to accommodate around 800 working women and are expected to be completed by March 31, 2026.