MALL COMPLETELY OPERATED BY WOMEN ALL SET TO OPEN ITS DOORS ON NOVEMBER 14; DETAILS INSIDE

Come November 14, women who wish to spend quality time with their friends or family members, can visit the Mahila mall in Kozhikode. The mall will be fully operated and managed by women.

Considered to be the first-of-its-kind in south India, the mall is located in front of Fathima hospital. A 10-member women committee, formed under the community development societies of corporation's Kudumbashree, will manage the mall.

Arrangements to put up stalls inside the five-story building is currently underway. Corporation's Kudumbashree unit started the project with the support of state and district Kudumbashree missions and Unity group. Kudumbashree Mission, National Urban Livelihood Mission and the corporation's unit together pooled in over Rs 3 crore for the project.

The mall with an area of 36,000 sq ft will come up on 54 cents of private land that has been leased for a period of five years. The mall will have a spacious parking lot and women taxi services. Four She Cabs will be available for women during working hours.

Around 79 stalls, set up by women entrepreneurs, will occupy the first three floors. A micro bazar will be set up in the basement with 24 Kudumbashree units putting up their stalls for sale.

"The mall will provide a different shopping experiences to people as it will cater to the needs of all types of consumers. The mall will provide 250 direct and 500 indirect employment opportunities to women," said M V RamsiIsmail, project officer of corporation's Kudumbashree.

*Originally published in The Times of India*