Locked down in a city away from home, students struggle financially, but hostel, PG owners look to ease their pain

There are at least 10,000 students who are currently living in the city in private houses, flats, as paying guests (PG) and in hostels.

With the lockdown in the state now extended till April 30, students in the city who have been quarantined in hostels and rented accommodations, away from home, want to go back home. There are at least 10,000 students who are currently living in the city in private houses, flats, as paying guests (PG) and in hostels.

Lockdown in Pune. Most of the students find it difficult to deal with every day expenses as their resources are limited and there is a shortage of money, even though flat and PG owners have waived off their rents for the time being. (Rahul Raut/HT)

Most of the students find it difficult to deal with every day expenses as their resources are limited and there is a shortage of money, even though flat and PG owners have waived off their rents for the time being.

Ramesh Shinde, 19, a Bachelor of Arts student from Nanded, says, “I live in as a paying guest at a residence near Appa Balwant chowk. There were six students who lived along with me, but they left for their hometowns before the lockdown began. Now, I am only one left here and even though the owner of the accommodation is not asking for the rent, getting daily meals is a major challenge. I have an electric stove in the room and make instant noodles or rice sometimes. I even try to get food packets from the social groups distributing it around the city. My family is worried about me and my father had even started to come to Pune to pick me up, on a motorbike, but was sent back by the police officials from the district border.”

Coming from the farmer family background, Vishal Dabhade, is also facing similar issues. Dabhade, who hails from Jalna district is enrolled at the Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) and is currently living at a friend’s home in Model Colony. “When the lockdown was announced, we thought that it would be only till April 14 and later on, we would be able to go back to our hometowns, but now as it has been extended, it is getting difficult day by day to survive. It is more of a mental challenge for us as the situation is not good outside, my friend and I do not step out. My parents are worried about us, however, we communicate with them every day to assure them of our safety. We cook mostly rice and pulses and bring ready-made food packets. Our savings are being used up and getting financial help from my family is also difficult, as they too are struggling to survive as farmers during the lockdown.”

The SPPU hostel and all hostels of colleges affiliated to the varsity, had shut down before the lockdown. However, there are still some foreign students at the SPPU International Students Centre hostel. One of the students who didn’t wanted her name to be disclosed, said, “We stay inside our rooms and get all the necessary facilities from the university. I am in regular touch with my family members and if needed, go out to buy fruits or vegetables to the hostel gate where some of the vendors come.”

Suresh Joshi, one of the owners of a PG accommodation in Sadashiv peth, said, “There are 14 students living at our PG hostel and all of them have now gone back to their hometowns. We have not asked them to pay the rent for the next two months as we understand that it is a crisis and most of them belong to an economically weak background.”