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In a city where women form a large chunk of the working class in all sections of the society, young mothers are left with a handful of options when it8217;s time to leave the little one behind and return to work.

Even as suitable day-care centres for middle-class working mums remain a pipe dream, the BMC beats them to it with their efficient and tender balwadis

In a city where women form a large chunk of the working class in all sections of the society, young mothers are left with a handful of options when it8217;s time to leave the little one behind and return to work. But Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation8217;s BMC recent initiatives in this field will leave many a mommies impressed. The BMC, last year, introduced the day-care centre facility across Mumbai to take care of toddlers while their parents toil away at work.

Known as balwadi, these centres are a part of BMC-run schools and admit children within the age group of 2.5-5 years. Besides taking care

of the kids, the balwadis provide them with meals and basic education, all free of cost to the parents. 8220;The system was introduced to reach out to as many working mothers and children as possible to provide them with basic education and nutrition,8221; explains Sayali Sanjay Walinjkar, the headmistress of one such centre at Bandra East8217;s Khernagar. The children at the balwadi are always under the expert eye of trained personnel.

Amidst the din of children on a lunch break, Walinjkar walks us through the hallways of the school. In and outside a room are about 40 children, some nibbling on their meals while the others squeal and run about under the watchful eye of two teachers. 8220;When we started out in June 2007, mere 70-80 parents approached us, but by the time we were a few months into the programme, the strength was up to 125. Currently, we have over 180 students here,8221; she adds animatedly.

The Khernagar centre is only one of the 84 balwadis in Mumbai and the response has been tremendous throughout the city, claims Walinjkar, with over 100 kids on an average in each centre. The balwadis run two batches in the day 8212; 10 am to 12 pm and 1 pm to 3 pm. But if the guardians are unable to pick them up in time, the children are allowed to stay back. 8220;The children can always play under the eye of the teachers here. And if the guardians cannot make it, we personally drop them home,8221; smiles one of the teachers who does not wish to be named.

The parents too, consider these a boon. Shabri Pundekar, a government servant living in a chawl nearby, and mother of three-year-old Radhika, says that she is now able to go to work free of stress.

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8220;My mother-in-law passed away last year and we were concerned about our daughter. I work from 8 am to

4 pm now so we drop her to the balwadi in the morning and pick her up by late afternoon,8221; she says as she scoops up a gleeful Radhika to take her home.