Concerns over deteriorating infrastructure and inadequate facilities have been raised by residents of the Madam Cama Girls Hostel, which is run under the University of Mumbai. For over two weeks, basic amenities were reported to have been disrupted, prompting a formal complaint from the students and a subsequent surprise inspection by university senate members.
The inspection was carried out following student appeals that were said to have gone unanswered by the hostel administration. During the visit, which was conducted by student representatives and a former senate member, multiple issues were observed. It was found that the hostel’s canteen had been non-operational for 15 days, compelling approximately 126 students to depend entirely on food delivery services for their daily meals.
Several rooms were found in a neglected state. While some had reportedly been locked and filled with junk, one room was noted to have suffered a partial ceiling collapse. These findings were said to reflect poor maintenance and insufficient oversight by hostel authorities. It was highlighted during the inspection that the drinking water supply was inadequate. Water coolers were available on only three of the hostel’s seven floors, leaving the majority of students without direct access to filtered water. Bathing facilities were also deemed insufficient, as only two geysers per floor were made available for use, causing inconvenience among the residents.
Poor lighting was observed on many floors, further adding to the students’ discomfort. Attention was also drawn to the absence of a full-time warden. It was reported that temporary wardens visited the hostel for only two hours each day, leaving students without round-the-clock supervision or assistance.
Safety concerns were amplified by the fact that state-mandated hostel guidelines, which were issued after a rape and murder case at another women’s hostel in 2023, were not being followed. According to those guidelines, a full-time warden and trained support staff must be present at all times in women’s hostels. It was pointed out by senate members that several hostel rooms had remained vacant despite student demand. According to university policy, leftover rooms not allotted to departmental students were to be made available to students from affiliated colleges. However, out of 196 seats, only 170 had been filled last year. A letter detailing the findings and urging immediate corrective measures was sent to Vice-Chancellor Ravindra Kulkarni by the inspecting team. In the letter, accountability was demanded from the university administration, and the mismanagement was described as a serious inconvenience to students.
In response, a statement was issued by the University of Mumbai, in which the allegations were denied. It was claimed that the canteen had only been shut for 10 days due to unavoidable circumstances and was now operational. It was also stated that sufficient water coolers and geysers had been installed, that lighting was functional, and that no complaints regarding maintenance had been received. The university further alleged that the surprise visit had violated institutional protocols, as entry was made into the girls’ hostel without prior permission and in the absence of a warden. It was indicated that action could be taken against those involved.
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