The state of Uttar Pradesh is making significant strides in providing safe and affordable accommodation for its working women. A major project to construct eight dedicated hostels is underway, with the majority expected to be completed by the year 2026. This initiative represents a crucial step in supporting the growing female workforce in the state's urban centers.
Central and State Government Collaboration
This ambitious project is being realized through a collaborative funding model. The construction is supported under the Government of India's Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment Scheme. For this purpose, the central government allocated a substantial sum of Rs 382 crore specifically to Uttar Pradesh. The state government is concurrently running its own Chief Minister Working Women's Hostel Scheme, under which these facilities, named Shramjeevi Mahila Chhatravas in honor of Mata Ahilyabai Holkar, are being built.
The distribution of the eight sanctioned hostels is focused on key districts. Three hostels are coming up in Lucknow, the state capital, while four are located in Gautam Budh Nagar (which includes Noida and Greater Noida). Additionally, one hostel is being built in Ghaziabad. Each of these facilities is designed with a substantial residential capacity of 500 women.
Expansion Plans and Current Progress
Looking beyond the current eight, the Uttar Pradesh government has already proposed an expansion. Plans are in place to construct seven more hostels under the CM's scheme, each with a similar 500-bed capacity. The proposed cities for this second phase are:
- Varanasi
- Meerut
- Prayagraj
- Gorakhpur
- Kanpur Nagar
- Jhansi
- Agra
The project has seen concrete action in recent months. In April 2025, the UP Jal Nigam (Urban) was appointed as the official implementing agency for the construction work. Subsequently, in June 2025, the Department of Women and Child Development released an initial tranche of Rs 116.19 crore to the agency. This fund release coincided with the commencement of physical construction work on the three hostels each in Lucknow and Gautam Budh Nagar.
Land and Approval Status for New Hostels
Significant procedural progress has been made for the seven proposed hostels. The crucial land transfer procedures have been successfully completed for the districts of Meerut, Gorakhpur, Kanpur Nagar, Jhansi, and Agra. Furthermore, these five districts have already obtained the necessary approval from the Expenditure Finance Committee.
For the remaining two locations, Varanasi and Prayagraj, the land transfer process is reported to be in its final stages, indicating that all administrative hurdles are being cleared efficiently. To move forward, the detailed construction plans for all seven districts have been formally submitted to the state's finance department for final scrutiny and allocation of funds.
This comprehensive project underscores the government's focus on creating enabling infrastructure for working women. By providing secure housing, the initiative aims to empower more women to pursue careers in major cities, contributing to both their personal independence and the state's economic growth. The 2026 completion timeline sets a clear goal for authorities, promising a significant upgrade in urban living facilities for thousands of women across Uttar Pradesh.
