Illegal working women hostel and paying guest accommodation have mushroomed in the city in the past few years. All thanks to the so-called strict policy and regulations of the authorised hostels for providing accommodation.  

Take for instance, All India Women Conference (AIWC) hostel on Bhagwan Dass road. Out of the several policies they have one is that they don’t give accommodation to sisters. AIWC is government recognised and is considered one of the safest lodging for girls. The location of the hostel is also prime. Girls coming from far away places to a city which is new to them would definitely prefer such hostels that can ensure safety and basic amenities.

Recently, I was hunting a decent working women hostel with metro connectivity. I have to commute daily to Noida and my sister, to Gurgaon.

My friends batted for AIWC. I called to their office for details. The momeent I said I needed a double seater as I intended to stay with my sister, the lady at the other end of the line curtly said, "We don't give rooms to sisters," and hung up. I was stumped. Try as I might, I could not come up with a rationale for such a policy.

My hostel hunt, far from being exciting turned out to be an exercise in futility because I always stumbled on some or the other unreasonable policy or lacunae. Now, my sister and I both have taken up lodging at my aunt's place in Noida. Had we not had a relative in the city, we would have had to make do with some unknown hostel in Munirka, our safety and security compromised. Or we would have ended up paying through our noses for a single room somewhere at a better locality or more safer locations.