Members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) on Wednesday forced the closure of shops at the Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) food mall as a protest over lack of adequate seating arrangements. The ABVP has alleged that the accommodation arrangements in the mall are not adequate for the growing number of students in the university.
Aditya Patil Dumbre, president of ABVP at SPPU, said, “The current system can seat only 50-60 people. It’s been more than 6 years since the food mall was built, but the seating capacity has not changed and is inadequate. There is a huge rush during lunch and dinner time and Due to lack of space, the students have to stand. The condition of the canteen is the same. We have requested the university many times to close the area if the furniture is not arranged We finally did that on Wednesday. After 3 pm, the water in the tank will also reach the food mall.”
“After we closed the stores, the property department showed us samples of the tables and chairs they would order. And they assured us that these will come next month,” Dombre added.
The Indian Express visited the food mall on Saturday and found ample empty spaces around the current seating arrangement. Additional seats and tables can be placed in these spaces to increase the seating capacity.
Admitting that the seating capacity is not enough, Prof Rajendra Ghode, chairman of the food committee at SPPU, told The Indian Express, “We have ordered the purchase of more tables and chairs. We have given the approval and the samples have arrived, which we have shown to the students. The order will arrive in 10-15 days.” He said that the seating capacity of the food mall will be increased from 150 to 200.
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