Seven months after opening, Gurgaon daycare has no takers

Apart from a wallpaper adorned with cartoons of different animals, and a ‘Baby Day Care Centre’ board opposite the entrance, there is little else to indicate the room’s purpose.

The original room now houses a gym.

With cartons stacked in one corner and books dumped on a bookshelf, the facility still seems to be in a state of transition more than two months since it was allotted its new location.

There is also no caretaker. Sources involved in the set up and operation of the facility said although a caretaker was to be allotted for the daycare, it was never done. “At first, there was a plan to appoint someone new… Then, it was decided that an experienced person should instead be allotted, like an anganwadi worker. However, the process got delayed with the shifting of the daycare,” said a source.

Now, the daycare centre is only available for children accompanied by guardians, or for women looking for a private space to feed their children. With no signages or advertising, however, employees and visitors seem to be unaware of its existence.

An employee working in a department adjoining the gym— where the daycare centre earlier stood— was under the impression the facility had been shut. On condition of anonymity, she said, “It was not used at all, so they replaced it with a gym.”

City Magistrate Manisha Sharma said measures are being taken to improve the centre: “As of now, we are using it as a space where women can feed their children. We are also working on hiring an attendant. It needs to be a qualified person, so we have already requested Red Cross and other agencies for someone.”

“To increase awareness, we have already ordered some boards to be put up, which we expect will arrive by the end of the week,” she added.

Gurgaon Deputy Commissioner Amit Khatri said the matter would be looked into: “We will definitely look to improve the facility. If some investment has been made, it is our endeavour to ensure it is used.”