ABVP forces SPPU food mall to shut, protests against inadequate seating arrangements

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) members forced shops to shut at the Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) food mall as a mark of protest on Wednesday over lack of adequate seating arrangements at the mall. The ABVP alleged that the seating arrangements at the mall are not enough for the increasing student population at the university.

Aditya Patil Dumbre, president of ABVP at SPPU said, “Only 50-60 people can sit in the current system. The food mall was constructed over six years ago, but the seating capacity has not changed and is inadequate. During lunch and dinner time, there is a huge rush and students have to stand due to lack of space. The situation is similar at the Adarsh canteen as well. We have requested the university multiple times for more tables and chairs. We gave them a final warning that we will close the area if the furniture is not arranged and finally on Wednesday, we did it. After 3 pm, the water in the food mall also gets over as the tank water is used up.”

“After we shut the shops, the Estate Department showed us samples of the tables and chairs they are ordering. And they assured us that these will arrive next month,” Dumbre added.

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The Indian Express visited the food mall on Saturday and found substantial empty spaces around the current seating arrangements. More seats and tables can be accommodated in these spaces to increase the seating capacity.

Accepting that the seating capacity is not adequate, Professor Rajendra Ghode, chairman of Food Committee at SPPU, told The Indian Express, “We have given purchase orders for additional tables and chairs. We have sanctioned it and the samples have also arrived, which we showed to the students. The order should arrive in 10-15 days.” He added that the seating capacity at the food mall would be increased to 150-200.