DU set to reopen, students scout for PGs, rent accommodations

Delhi University students have begun exploring options around the campus as various colleges prepare to reopen.

Delhi University has finally decided to reopen its campus, from February 1, to those final year students who require practical classes in labs, while ensuring all precautions like social distancing are followed amid the pandemic. Professor Rajeev Gupta, Dean, Students Welfare, DU, said, “Campus is opening up for final year students who require a some component of practical lab work in their course. The colleges won’t be hosting any theory classes, and those classes will all continue to be conducted online.”

Students say they have begun scouting for accommodations while prepping for their re-entry on campus. (Photo: Sanchit Khanna/HT (Photo for representational purpose only))

And this has encouraged many students to check out places near their colleges, to enquire and plan their accommodation in PGs as they brace themselves for an offline campus experience. “The biggest challenge for a student studying in DU, who isn’t a day scholar, is accommodation. As DU has started opening up its campus bit by bit, freshers like me have started our preparations like searching for a budget friendly accommodation. I’ve found out that Satyaniketan is a hub for PGs and the range for fee is from six thousand to fifteen thousand. I’m also exploring the option of rented flats because the food in PGs is not that good at times,” says Manish Mourya, a student of Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College.

Some freshers have reached out to senior students to seek guidance in choosing the right accommodation for themselves. And a few seniors have voluntarily come forward to help these students find a suitable accommodation without having to pay brokerage. “The lure for the offline campus experience is clear by the number of calls we are getting in a day from freshers who have started searching for PGs in Delhi. We are getting somewhere between 15 to 20 calls per day from students asking about available accommodations. I offered to help my juniors so that they can find the perfect home away from home for themselves, that too without having to pay the brokerage. Most of us all still going through a financial crises due to the pandemic, and seeing my juniors face financial challenges motivated me to help them find a safe, secure and healthy environment to live. This is the least I can do to help students,” says Vishwesh Tiwari, a student of Sri Aurobindo College.

PG owners in and around the campus confirm the increase in footfall of students who are coming to see the flats and bargain the rent. “Students have started visiting the PGs to see whether the place is sanitised or not, what’s the rent, and even enquire about the plans to maintain social distancing between the residents. A lot of students are also asking if the popular hang out zones like Majnu ka Tilla are open to visit now,” says Rakesh Bhasin, owner of a PG near North Campus.

Author tweets @FizzyBuddha

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