The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) plans to establish 200 gyms across the city, with one gym in each ward, to promote better health and well-being for women. These gyms will serve both lower-class and urban middle-class people and will be exclusively for women. 10 crore rupees would be spent on setting up the gyms.
Each gym will include all the necessary exercise equipment, such as several sets of dumbbells, EFX machines, treadmills, cycling machines, and hydraulic weightlifting machines. These gyms' locations have been carefully selected to ensure accessibility for women from lower-class urban backgrounds as well as for middle-class people. The GCC aims to establish an annual maintenance program for these gyms, ensuring them regular upkeep, in order to avoid the fate of other projects. In an effort to promote community involvement, the localities who regularly use the gyms will receive keys. The gym timings suggested are 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
S Rajendiran, the Chief Engineer of GCC mentioned, "There are quality gyms in South Chennai where people pay and use. But poor people can't pay. These gyms will be located in areas accessible to both urban middle class and poor." A councilor from Tondiarpet, M Renuka states, "Women's gym will promote better health and well-being. In the lower-income strata, women don't usually go to the gym. We will also have to talk to women and make them come out to use the gyms."
