Bengaluru's co-living spaces prepare for life after lockdown

The approximately 300 co-living properties in Bengaluru, were earlier an ideal setup for several students and millenials. But the number of residents drastically dropped with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving many properties nearly empty. Residents like 25-year-old

Shivshankar Machiraju

from Hyderabad, were quick to return home when no measures were taken as soon as the pandemic struck. Now, to adapt to the new norms of social distancing and reassure residents, co-living spaces have started coming up with adjustments and changes in their living arrangements. We take a closer look...


Reduced rent to cope with the crisis

One such space,

Nestaway

has waived off Rs 1 million in the past month, by reducing rent for its members. They plan to keep it that way even after the lockdown is lifted. Sneha Ghosh, one of the residents, says, "Reducing the rent helps students, who form a majority of the residents of these spaces. Since I'm not earning and my parents are also working with pay-cuts, this was a great move."


Preventive measures take priority
Through meetings on video call, these spaces have been discussing new measures with residents.

Faisal Mohammad

, resident of a

Co-Live

property in Bengaluru, suggested doing away with finger print scanners, on one such meeting. "I don't know whether we'd need voice recognition or pass key swipe as security features to replace the fingerprint scan, but that security feature could put us at risk. So I suggested the change and they were completely on board with it," he shares.



Providing an ideal work-from-home setup

Since many of its residents are working from home, co-living space Zolo is now providing cheaper internet services. Sromona Mukherjee, a representative, says, "We have decided on

24x7 power

backup with extra fuel available if the power outage lasts longer. Extra desks and chairs are available to residents who need a bigger workstation. We are working on the bandwidth of the internet to make it more efficient and faster. In short, we are trying to build a connection with our members so that they can count on us."Recreational activities go online
Co-Live and Nestaway usually provide multiple sets of board and card games for their residents. Prior to the lockdown, Saturday night used to be game night at Co-Live - an evening of fun board games that the residents could enjoy with their neighbours. Now, these companies are planning to provide online versions of the same games, to avoid proximity with other residents.
Co-Live is also introducing online recreation - like fancy-dress competitions and disco nights - for community members. These competitions will have prizes like a top-notch, in-house privilege for a month, in store.


New rules in common areas
Areas that are common to residents are a cause for concern in co-living spaces, as appliances like washing machines are shared. While Zolo has decided to temporarily shut off their common areas, Co-Live has installed sanitizers in every corner, asking residents to thoroughly clean and sanitize if they're using something or are sitting in a common space. Meals are still available at some of these spaces, but residents are asked to bring their own utensils so that they can take the food away.