MU students complain of being forced to live in temporary hostel

More than 80 students staying at Mumbai University (MU)) boys’ hostel at Kalina campus have been facing many problems to do with accomodation, food and hygiene due to poor infrastructure. Students have been shifted to this temporary hostel since a year and have not been moved to a permanent structure till now.

Students studying masters programme have been staying at Anna Bhau Sathe Hostel at a basic fee of Rs 5,000 for an academic year. These students were shifted to this temporary shelter from their original hostel last year as the original hostel had to be renovated. They were promised to be shifted back to their original hostel in less than six months but they have not been shifted since over a year.

Students have been facing issues like false ceilings, leaking roofs, mosquitoes and inadequate and expensive food. Rajesh Mane, a student said, “The walls of the hostel are fabricated and made of wood and plaster. During the monsoons, the roofs leak and we have water entering our rooms. Secondly, the food at the mess is expensive compared to other university standards.”

The hostel has around 40 rooms where three boys are staying in one room. Earlier, students were staying in single individual rooms in their original hostel. A student said, “When we were shifted here three of us were cramped into one single room. We were promised the original hostel we would be shifted back within six months but nothing has been done yet. We have been staying here since last one year. Just because the hostel charges are minimum the university cannot treat us like this.”

In addition, students claimed this is the only Boy’s Hostel on campus of the MU.

Students have been facing issues like false ceilings, leaking roofs, mosquitoes, inadequate and expensive food

There is insufficient space as large number of students are opting for this but there is no space or provision to accomodate them. A student said, “Large number of students are coming from different states and rural areas to study and live here. There is no space to accomodate them and students are denied accomodation.”

MU has stopped awarding accomodation to students at this hostel due to lack of space. A senior official of MU said, “The original hostel is undergoing repairs work. Students are being directed to university hostel at Churchgate.” While students have decided to raise this issue as health and food is a major concern. Mane added, “Mosquitoes make it difficult for us to live. We have been complaining several times but there is no action.”