Demanding repair work on campus, Jogeshwari boys’ hostel residents stage hunger strike

The department has now decided to ask PWD to visit and see if temporary repairs are possible.

The hostel is run by the Social Welfare Department of the Maharashtra government, which offers merit-based free accommodation to students who come from reserved categories and have secured admissions in colleges away from their hometowns.

Build around 42 years back, the structure is now overdue for repair.

Following a third-party audit conducted last month, a decision was taken to demolish the present structure and reconstruct a new hostel. The department is now looking for an alternative property on rent in the vicinity.

“The condition of the building is really poor. In almost all rooms and common areas, ceiling plasters have fallen off. A couple of nights ago, some plaster fell on a student who was sleeping in his room. Thankfully, it fell on his legs,” said a student resident, adding that around 15-20 of them are sitting on a hunger strike while others are supporting them by shifting base in the common area. A few others will join them after completing the ongoing exams, they added.

The hostel has 40 rooms housing 105 students from different parts of the state. “When the department knew about the poor condition that required complete restructuring; it should have been communicated to us. We were told about it after we started the protest. Now the authorities are offering to temporarily shift us to other hostels in Kandivali, Bhiwandi and Kalyan, which are really far. We had sought this hostel because of its proximity to our respective colleges,” complained another student.

Assistant Commissioner, Social Welfare Department, Mumbai, Prasad Khairnar, who visited the hostel on Tuesday to talk to the protesting students, said, “We have issued advertisements looking for an alternative building to house all these students in Jogeshwari. The option of shifting to other hostels is only a temporary arrangement. We have also asked students to look for accommodation on their own and we will extend the Swadhar scheme to them, wherein those who could not be given hostel accommodation are given financial help of Rs 67,000 a year for the same purpose. Students have turned down both options.”

The department has now decided to ask the Public Works Department (PWD) to visit the premises and check if temporary repair work was feasible.

Acknowledging that the building was in poor shape, Khairnar said had the department known about it at the beginning of the academic year, it would have avoided admitting students. “The building does require repair works but it is not in a completely dilapidated condition. The department is of the opinion that instead of spending money for repair works, which is going to be costly, it is better to demolish this structure and build a new hostel having more capacity and better facilities,” said Khairnar.

Amir Kazi, Mumbai secretary of the All India Students’ Federation (AISF), who has written to the state government about the students’ plight, said, “The authorities should take swift action to ensure the safety of students.”