Ujjain: Almost a year since its launch the facilities at She Lounge located at Freeganj launched under the Ujjain Smart City project remain underutilised due to lack of publicity of the initiative among the woman folks.
The chief idea behind this initiative was to provide basic amenities for women, including restrooms, sitting space, maternity area and special playroom for children along with RO water availability, electric sockets and proper sanitisation.
The manager of the facility Khushboo Verma told Free Press that nearly 30-35 women visit the place on a daily basis.
These women majorly include staff of nearby stores who merely avail of the restroom service.
However, the major purpose of the place remains unutilised due to a lack of awareness among the people of the city, observed a visitor.
The basic idea was to facilitate the women who visit the market, by providing them with a safe environment for resting, feeding and recreation, said the manager.
Despite its aesthetic interiors the place does not serve its entire purpose as a majority of the ladies have no information about the facility, said a woman who hopped in to take a break from shopping in the vicinity of the facility.
However, there is one big issue about the facility if a resident of the locality is to be believed. The said person who has stayed here for a long time, requesting anonymity, complained that the LOUD MUSIC from the cafe above the lounge is proving to be a big nuisance. This is by no means an issue which the smart city authorities cannot handle smartly.
The administration is thus required make efforts to acquaint women of the city with this facility because amid hurry and strife of the life in general and shopping in particular nothing is more empowering for women than a space of their own.
