Student organisations demand reopening of old canteens at Pune varsity

As the university has not completed the tender process for the cafeterias despite several requests to the administration, student organisations are now demanding that members of the university management council pay attention to this among other student issues

With all three canteens at the Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) currently closed, university students, especially those staying in hostels on the premises, have to walk to and from the few canteens located nearby for snacks and meals and are inconvenienced. As the university has not completed the tender process for the cafeterias despite several requests to the administration, student organisations are now demanding that members of the university management council pay attention to this among other student issues.

A few years ago, three canteens at the SPPU namely Aniket Canteen, Open Canteen and Old Canteen would be teeming with students however they are closed now. (HT FILE PHOTO)

Kuldeep Ambekar, student and president of the Students’ Helping Hand organisation, said, “Open Canteen and Old Canteen have been closed permanently. Instead, a single food mall has been started in the university. Students get a selection of food items at this place. Students have protested many times regarding the inconvenience. It has also been demanded that other canteens in the university be started. But the university administration is constantly ignoring our demands.”

A few years ago, three canteens at the SPPU namely Aniket Canteen, Open Canteen and Old Canteen would be teeming with students however they are closed now. MLA Kailas Patil met the SPPU vice-chancellor (VC) Suresh Gosavi about this issue on Wednesday. “We discussed various issues including that of student hostels. In the rap song case, the university has been brought into serious disrepute and the inquiry report submitted in this regard should be published. The students’ hostel chief, Vikas Mate, who is harassing the students, should be expelled. An equal opportunity centre should be established, and a canteen committee should be constituted. Criminal cases should be filed at the respective polling stations in case of bogus voting during student elections. Action should be taken against officials and employees who give permission to parties and organisations to hold meetings in the office of the Alumni Association,” Patil said.

Rahul Sasane of the University Student Struggle Action Committee said, “Aniket Canteen in the university has not been reopened despite several requests to and follow-ups with the administration. So, we have demanded that the issues related to students be discussed in the meeting of the management council to be held on August 26.”