Chennai: Six chief minister’s co-working spaces across North Chennai, built by the previous DMK govt, will soon be opened to the public. Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has floated tenders to outsource housekeeping for a year while retaining technical and administrative control.The facilities will come up in Purasaiwalkam, Periyar Nagar, Otteri, Pulianthope, Thiru-Vi-Ka Nagar, and Kolathur. These centres were built before the elections and were awaiting inauguration. Each centre will have two sweepers, two receptionists, and two security guards. While housekeeping has been outsourced, the civic body will handle data operations, IT infrastructure, and electrical maintenance. GCC has also tied up with ACT for internet connectivity.The GCC zonal officer for Thiru Vi Ka Nagar, G Chokkalingampillai, said all electronic devices at the facilities are covered under a one-year manufacturer’s warranty, eliminating the need for a separate maintenance contract for them.“We will carry out the administrative maintenance ourselves. While a private firm has been managing the first centre on Jaganathan Street in Kolathur, the other five have now been tendered out. After one year, we will go for a full-fledged tender where a contractor can maintain it with key performance indicators,” he said.The monthly operating cost has been estimated at ₹1.5 lakh for a regular centre, while the larger Periyar Nagar facility, which has more than 25 computers, will need about ₹3 lakh a month.The co-working space is former chief minister M K Stalin’s pet scheme, offering affordable workstations and study spaces for competitive exam aspirants. Being India’s first such facility, it allows users to access workstations for ₹50 for a half-day session, while students can use the learning centres for ₹5 for every three-and-a-half-hour session.The first centre, launched in Kolathur in late 2024, has remained fully occupied since opening, attracting users from across the city. Buoyed by the response, the govt expanded the initiative to 13 locations. Apart from individual workstations, the centres also feature four-seater and six-seater meeting rooms for discussions.K Samanth, a NEET aspirant using the Kolathur centre, said the govt should extend competitive exam coaching to all centres. “It is only offered at Periyar Nagar now,” he said.
