One of the YWCA's (Young Women's Christian Association) themes is to create safe spaces for women. And now, we are keen to open up the lounge on the ground floor into a space for women, including non-members, to use as a waiting area. We plan to keep it open up to 9 or 10 pm; the logistics are still being worked out but it's definitely on our radar," shares Vidula Raj, general hostel secretary, YWCA, as she walks us through the just-restored 120-year-old space on 18, Madam Cama Road.

For most girls and women who head to Mumbai for work, the YWCA, also known as the Lady Willingdon Hostel, remains a highly coveted space to find accommodation, going by their infamously long waiting list. And rightly so, from its vantage location in SoBo, to its spacious, well-ventilated room plans, close to business districts, the reasons for a key to a room here are a no-brainer. Raj adds that the YWCA also has plans to throw open the public hall for exhibitions, seminars, conferences and other activities, now that the venue on the ground floor bears a carefully conserved character. There are suggestions to also create a walk-in art gallery in its picturesque corridor on the ground floor. "It's a non-airconditioned space, however," she reminds us, to which on-site conservation architect Vikas Dilawari assured, "With its cross ventilation, high ceilings and huge windows, the passage of natural light and air is free-flowing, and will enable a convenient experience for visitors."