Students seek reopening of hostels in Pune

We are yet to get any instructions regarding reopening of hostels from the state government. Once colleges resume offline classes, we will restart hostel facilities, says SPPU registrar Prafulla Pawar

It is not easy for Prashant Bandal to return to Pune and resume studies. Reason: His family is facing financial crisis because of the Covid situation. Bandal is a second year Commerce student of Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) and was staying at a private hostel in the city. Now, he cannot afford to pay the hostel fees.

A student carries bags from boys hostel after Pune university told all students to remove luggage for hostel. (HT PHOTO)

Bandal’s plight is similar to thousands of students who were staying at SPPU and other college hostels, but now have to opt for private rooms or flats. They have been demanding reopening of SPPU and other prominent college hostels once offline college lectures resume.

“My parents are farmers living at a remote village in Solapur district. Before the lockdown, I returned to my village and am stuck here. Few of my friends have returned to Pune, rented a flat, but are unable to survive after two months of stay. If the university hostels are reopened, we will get the rooms at less rent and can resume studies without thinking about the financial aspects of hostel charges,” said Bandal.

Another student Satish Gore said, “I returned to Pune when the lockdown was relaxed. As SPPU hostels were closed, we four friends rented a flat at Sinhgad road. Now, we are finding it difficult to pay room rent. We request varsity administration to reopen hostels with Covid guidelines, at least for some needy students.”

SPPU registrar Prafulla Pawar said, “We are yet to get any instructions regarding reopening of hostels from the state government. Once colleges resume offline classes, we will restart hostel facilities. As of now, we are maintaining the hostel rooms and telling final year passout students to collect their belongings so that rooms are made vacant.”

Fergusson College principal Dr Ravindra Pardeshi said, “The threat of Covid is not over yet and we cannot risk students when they return to campus. In principle, we do agree that hostels should be reopened, but at the same time safety of students is also of utmost importance.”