State-run co-working spaces a hit as bookings extend till June-end

At the government-run co-working space in Chennai, a two-month-old tourism company started by a 22-year-old college graduate shares space with a 52-year-old former head of automation in Tech Mahindra who took his shot at being an entrepreneur in IT after his retirement.

- Divya Chandrababu

CHENNAI: Sitting across him is a financial analyst at Oracle who used to work from bed in the hybrid era and finds himself more productive here.

They are among more than 32,000 professionals who have used the government's first co-working space since its launch on November 4, 2024, for over six months until May 18. Amid the growing trend of co-working spaces, the evolution of office spaces in a post-Covid-19 scenario, and people getting tired of working from home, the state government wanted to support entrepreneurs and youngsters who cannot afford a private working space.

So the desk rentals are easy on the pocket and yet come with facilities and aesthetics that are on par with private co-working spaces. 60 mbps internet, air conditioning, conference rooms, comfortable chairs, housekeeping, security, cafeteria. With 38 individual desks and three conference rooms, the pilot project named Muthalvar Padaipagam (Muthalvar meaning Chief Minister; Padaipagam meaning a creative space), was launched in Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin's constituency-Kolathur, which was carved out in 2011 in Chennai's northern region which is dotted with industries and not particularly known for culture of start-ups or corporates. It is occupied not just by residents of Kolathur but professionals also commute from other neighbourhoods such as upscale Anna Nagar, 7 km away. The demand for affordable co-working is indicated by its full occupancy and bookings made until the end of June.