Mumbai: Conceived in 2021, BMC to deliver its first babysitting centre in Goregaon

The Sakhi Niwas hostel in Goregaon where BMC will soon start a babysitting centre. Pic/Satej Shinde

After three years, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will finally start its first babysitting centre in Goregaon. BMC is also working on babysitting centres in other parts of the city. BMC conceived the plan for the babysitting centre in 2021.

According to an official, BMC has just completed setting up a hostel for working women in Goregaon. This is the first civic owned hostel which will be managed by a private agency and will be soon open for admissions. "We are working on starting a babysitting facility in the same building. We are also working to start babysitting centres in other parts of the city. We are looking for suitable buildings," the official said.

BMC had first announced a babysitting centre in its budget for the year 2021-22. Though BMC had a policy in place for a babysitting centre, the project didn't take off as the city was just recovering from the pandemic. The delay was also on account of BMC not finding a suitable building. "We need to have a safe and secure building for the babysitting centre," said the official.

Besides the hostel for working women and babysitting centre, the civic premises at Goregaon will also have a daycare facility for senior citizens. "This facility will have a separate entrance and round-the-clock security. Our plan is to have at least one babysitting centre in each of the seven administrative zones of Mumbai," the official said.

Nandita Shah, co-founder of Akshara Centre, an organisation working for women said babysitting centres and working women hostels are needed to increase women's share in employment. Shah said a major barrier to women's employment is lack of accommodation and availability of babysitting. "But Mumbai is the first city that has a Gender Chapter in the development plan. They have marked around 120 plots for this kind of centre. But this plan is over 20 years. We can appreciate that the first working women's hostel has been set up and now BMC plans to start a babysitting and day care centre for senior citizens. BMC has plans to open three to four more centres. The process may take time as the buildings have to be constructed. But we can appreciate that BMC has started the process," Shah said.