Fresh-up centres for women travelling long distance will come up in the State. Administrative sanction for ₹1 crore has been given to start the fresh-up centres under the aegis of the Kerala State Women’s Development Corporation, Minister for Women and Child Development K.K. Shylaja has said.
In the first phase, a fresh-up centre each would come up at two tourism destinations this year, the Minister said.
One of the major problems faced by women travelling long distances is clean and women-friendly toilets. In a bid to address it, fresh-up centres where women can relax and attend to other needs will come up at regular intervals.
Women need clean toilets the most during their travels. As toilet facilities by the roadside will provide maximum benefit, the KSWDC will implement the fresh-up centre scheme. Three toilets, a room for breastfeeding, napkin incinerators, and snack bar will be available at the fresh-up centres.
The centres will come up on land provided by local self-government institutions and be built by the Local Self-Government Department Engineers Association. The KSWDC will supervise the work.
Besides safe and clean public toilets for women, the scheme will provide jobs to at least four women. Women entrepreneurs decided by the local self-government institution will be entrusted with running the snack bar, centre supervision, and unit maintenance.
The KSWDC will also develop a standard operating procedure and train the entrepreneurs in it.
The KSWDC is implementing She-toilets with the support of the State government to address the lack of clean public toilets. It has set up 58 She-toilets across the State. Their cleaning and maintenance is being undertaken by the KSWDC with the support of a private agency.
