Student residents protest lack of cleanliness at Chembur hostel

Stating that students were left with no option but to protest, one resident said:“There are rules stating that rooms, toilets, and common areas should be cleaned three times a day. But for the past 8–10 days, no cleaning has been done. Ahead of Diwali, we are being forced to live in these filthy, unhygienic conditions."

By: Express News Service

Mumbai | Updated: October 17, 2025 10:42 PM IST

2 min read

As part of the protest, students threw all the cleaning supplies out of the hostel to make a statement that they were not being used anyway. (Credit: Pixabay/Representative)

Months after it was opened for student accommodation, the Bharat Ratna Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Boys’ Hostel in Mumbai’s Chembur has come under scrutiny after student residents — fed up with the lack of cleanliness and other issues — held a protest on Friday.

As part of the protest, students threw all the cleaning supplies out of the hostel to make a statement that they were not being used anyway.

The hostel, which has a total capacity of 1,000 students, is managed by the Maharashtra Social Justice Department and was inaugurated in July this year. While admissions are still ongoing, over 500 students currently staying at the hostel have complained about unhygienic conditions — including toilets that go uncleaned for 9–10 days, garbage piling up in multiple areas, and poor sanitation in the hostel mess.

Students also complained that once garbage accumulates in one spot, it is left unattended for days. “We end up finding new places to dump the garbage. The dustbins in the toilets are always overflowing. The condition of the washbasins and toilets is even worse, making it difficult to use them,” said another student, adding that it was especially disappointing given that the hostel was inaugurated only a few months ago. “It’s embarrassing to see a brand-new hostel in this condition,” he added.

When contacted, Assistant Commissioner for Mumbai (suburban) Ravikiran Patil, from the Social Justice Department, said his office had received complaints from students residing in the Chembur hostel. Accordingly, a notice has been sent to the cleaning service contractor.

“Complaints have been received from students staying in the Chembur hostel. However, since the same service provider is responsible for cleanliness across all hostels in Mumbai, a meeting will be held with their representatives to ensure that the service is brought up to standard,” he said.

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