Members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) forced the closure of shops at the Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) mall as a sign of protest on Wednesday over the lack of adequate seating arrangements at the mall. The ABVP alleges that the accommodation facilities in this mall are not sufficient for the increasing number of students in the university.
Aditya Patil Dumbre, president of ABVP at SPPU said, “Only 50-60 people can sit in the current system. The food complex was built six years ago, but the seating is unchanged and inadequate. During lunch and dinner time, there is a huge rush and students have to stop due to lack of space.The situation is same as in Adarsh canteen.We have asked the university to give us more tables and chairs The last thing that we will close this place if the furniture is not arranged and lastly that we did it. After three o’clock in the afternoon, the water in the food center also runs out as the water in the tank has run out.”
“After we closed the shops, the Department of Housing showed us samples of the tables and chairs they ordered. And they assured us that they will come next month,” added Dumbre.
The Indian Express visited the food court on Saturday and found empty spaces surrounding the current seating arrangement. More chairs and tables can be placed in these spaces to increase the seating area.
Admitting that the seating is not enough, Professor Rajendra Ghode, chairman of the Food Committee at SPPU, told The Indian Express, “We have given orders for more tables and chairs. We have approved it and the samples have arrived, which we have shown to the students. The order should arrive in 10-15 days. ” He added that the seating area in the mall will be increased to 150-200.
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