Mumbai: Boys Hostel of the Topiwala National Medical College is deprived of a canteen facility in their premises due to which students there have to be dependent on the street foods nearby.
Consuming a lot of street food is ruining their health and making them sick.
The Medical college is 2-3 kilometers away from the Hospital. Due to the distance between the hostel and hospital, around 400 residents of the gents’ hostel are forced to depend on street food.
“The hostel is in Haji Ali, whereas the college is in Mumbai Central. It is not a walking distance,” complained one of the students as per the Indian express report.
The medical college administration says that there is a canteen on its campus, but in practical it is of no use to hostel residents.
The gents’ hostel does have a mess but, according to students, the mess has a specific menu offered in a stipulated schedule.
“Many of us have different times of eating depending on our class, internship etc. A canteen really works as it is the best solution in such a case,” said a student, who added that there are no affordable good food options within 1km radius of the hostel. The students are thus forced to depend on street food or other options, which is costlier.
The aggrieved hostel students approached Yuva Sena affiliated with the UBT faction of Shiv Sena with their issue following which students’ wing secretary Varun Sardesai wrote a letter to the administration.
“We visited the hostel premises and were really shocked to see that the canteen’s infrastructure is ready but the shutters are closed. The authorities are saying that there is a delay in the tendering process,” member of Yuva Sena (UBT) Pradeep Sawant told The Indian Express.
The college administration dean, Dr Pravin Rathi agreed that there has been a procedural delay after Covid, especially in acquiring approvals. “All approvals are ready now and soon the tender will be floated and the issue will be resolved,” Dr Rathi said.
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