Students In government-run hostels in the city had a rough time on Tuesday as rain water seeped through the walls and roofs of the buildings owing to the heavy rains. The students have demanded that they be moved to a different place. According to the boarders, several rooms in the hostels at Chembur, Jogeshwari and Worli — all run by the state department of social justice and special assistance-are inundated as water dripping from leaky roofs and walls has accumulated on the floors. The students said while seepage was a common problem during monsoons, the situation had worsened over the past couple of days with many fearing that the buildings might cave in because of the heavy downpour. “Most rooms are completely wet. There is hardly any dry spot left. The students have been spending sleepless nights trying to move their beds from one room to another but to no avail. We had already complained to the department about the condition of the hostel,” said Rohit Kamble, who stays at the Chembur hostel, which was in news in February after a lizard was found in the lunch served at the canteen. Another student from the Worli hostel said the building appeared unsafe. “The pillars look fragile and it seems that they can cave in any time,” said the student. Together the three hostels accommodate around 100 students, most of whom belong to the backward classes. S S Shere, the Assistant Commissioner for Mumbai, Social Welfare Department, said they have already written to the Public Works Department (PWD) asking it to repair the hostels. “The students were moved out of the hostel rooms where water was dripping a couple of days ago. I will visit the hostels on Wednesday to take stock of the situation,” said Shere.
