After 12-year wait for hostel, students to go on hunger strike

The two hostels, one for boys and one for girls, is still under construction, forcing many students, over the years, to return to their hometown without taking admission at an educational institute in the city.

Mumbai: Students from the reserved category have threatened to go on a hunger strike, some even threatening to immolate themselves, as government has not yet provided them with the 1,000-bed hostel in Chembur, that was supposed to be ready 12 years ago.

The students are now tired of waiting. With the Public Works Department (PWD), which is constructing the hostels, yet to hand over the premises, students on Tuesday issued a protest call and gathered in large numbers at the hostel site. However, their demands were not accepted. (HT PHOTO)

The two hostels, one for boys and one for girls, is still under construction, forcing many students, over the years, to return to their hometown without taking admission at an educational institute in the city.

The students are now tired of waiting. With the Public Works Department (PWD), which is constructing the hostels, yet to hand over the premises, students on Tuesday issued a protest call and gathered in large numbers at the hostel site. However, their demands were not accepted.

According to the protesting students, the government announced the construction of two hostels in 2007 as the students were struggling due to lack of accessible housing options.

Budhbhushan Kamble, executive president of The Ambedkar Students Association (ASA) said, “According to the original design, the hostels were supposed to be finished by 2011. But the construction did not even start until 2018. When the work finally got underway, it was planned that the hostels should be ready by December 2022. But the task is still unfinished. It might be difficult for students from interior areas of Maharashtra to find housing in the city.”

These two hostels will be managed by the Social Works Department (SWD). The boy’s hostel is an eight-story building, while the girl’s hostel is a ground plus five-storied structure. Although ready and able to accommodate 250 candidates, the girl’s hostel has not yet been handed over to the SWD. While the 750-person capacity boy’s hostel is still under construction.

Prasad Khairnar, assistant commissioner, SWD, said, “In 2007, it was decided that the hostel will be built on ‘built-operate-transfer’ (BOT) basis by the PWD and work order was issued in 2008. From 2011, SWD is constantly following up with the PWD for the completion of hostel construction.”

The SWD has hostels in Worli, Chembur, Mulund and Jogeshwari. Kamble said, “Recently, the department started evacuating students from Jogeshwari hostel as this building is in dilapidated condition. So, total space for these students is continually decreasing in the city.”

Jogeshwari students will relocate in same area

In November, students residing in the dilapidated Mahatma Phule Hostel, Jogeshwari, had been on a hunger strike against the SWD decision to shift majority of the students to far away locations. When asked about this, Khairnar said, “SWD had communicated with the government and housing department agrees to give 90 flats in Shivshahi Society in Chandiwal compound, Jogeshwari. We will receive official letter within two days.”