Classes in unstable rooms in Sion college

MUMBAI: Students of Padma Bhushan Vasantdada Patil College of Engineering in Sion have been attending classes in partially demolished classrooms on the fifth and sixth floor of the college building, the student wing of a political party has alleged.

The BMC, in May 2013, had razed parts of the fifth and sixth floor since the college did not have permission to build them.

“Only five of the classrooms built without permission have been razed, and the other dilapidated classrooms continue to be used, which is dangerous,” said Amol Matele, president of the National Congress Party’s (NCP’S) student wing.

Matele has also alleged that a letter sent to the Economic Offences Wing by the BMC, asking it to register a case against the college principal in February, has not yielded anything.

College authorities and students had resisted the demolition in May, the exam time.

“The BMC started demolition while the exams were going on. Since then, the college has left all the debris and unstable walls as they are,” Mohan Shettar, a second year student said.

Another student, who did not wish to be named, alleged that they had complained to the youth wings of various political parties and other student welfare bodies, but nothing came out of it.

“We have been told that we don’t have adequate number of classrooms, and the partially demolished rooms have to be used as a makeshift arrangement,” he said.

Though the principal of the college was not available for comment, a professor associated with the college for long has rubbished this claim.

“The top floors are not being used for lectures. Only classrooms which are away from the demolished ones and in good condition are being used. It’s just a makeshift arrangement,” said the teacher.

Matele has alleged a nexus between the college authorities and some BMC officials. “Action needs to be taken. Those involved in covering up the college’s wrong doings should be exposed,” he said.