Mahatma Phule Hostel students strike over acco

MUMBAI: For the last four days, students residing in the dilapidated Mahatma Phule Hostel, Jogeshwari, have been on a hunger strike against the social welfare department’s (SWD) decision to shift a majority to far away locations.

On Monday, SWD officials informed the students that the hostel building will be demolished since it is dangerous, and alternative arrangements have been made at the department’s hostels in Kandivali, Kalyan and Bhiwandi. Students, however, have refused the accommodations and demanded that they be moved to areas between Bandra to Jogeshwari, and began their hunger strike from November 7 night.

Six months ago, portions of the ceiling slab started collapsing following which SWD called for a structural audit of the building. “In lieu of repairs, a new building should be constructed at this location.”

Avinash Bansode, who is pursuing Master’s in Social Work at the Department of Civic and Politics, University of Mumbai, Kalina campus, is on an indefinite hunger strike, said students should be provided alternate hostel accommodations near the college. “The students will end up spending more time travelling, leaving them with less time to study,” said Bansode. “If we are given a written assurance that we will be provided with a building in the next few days from Bandra to Jogeshwari, then we will be ready to live in the other three places temporarily.

Deepak Mahandal, an electronic engineering student at Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute, Matunga, said, “We gave officials the option to shift us to the department’s vacant hostel for women in Chembur after completing some pending work. But officials denied our request. We also suggested vacant MHADA flats.”

Prasad Khairnar, assistant commissioner, the SWD, said since the building structure is old and dilapidated, students are being relocated. “The hostel houses 104 students. So, we have planned to send 45 students to Kandivali, 35 to Kalyan and 24 to Bhiwandi. We are also trying to find rented spaces in the same location (Jogeshwari). Till then, students will need to shift,” said Khairnar, adding, “Once we get space to accommodate all 104 students in a nearby area, we will relocate them near Jogeshwari again.”