Hostels turn budget hotels

This is one piece of patriotism that may just have been unnecessary.

Even as Delhi University students — made to stay away from hostels in the name of the Commonwealth Games — take up expensive accommodation outside, their colleges will be making a quick buck from renting out those hostel rooms. College principals have received letters from the UGC asking them to fix room tariffs for the upcoming Delhi Games. The rooms will be let out as budget accommodation to tourists expected to visit the city for the Games.

Interestingly, college authorities claim they did not know that the hostel rooms were being upgraded as tourist accommodation. However, the sports ministry, which is involved with the project, claims the project had always been targeted for tourist stay. Said a senior sports ministry official, ‘‘No one was forced, everyone volunteered to be part of the project. They knew what it (the hostels) was being upgraded for.’’ The point seems to be in debate now though. Said Bhim Sen Singh, principal, Kirori Mal College, ‘‘I was taken aback on receiving the letter from the UGC.

I am neither a businessman, nor a hotelier. How am I supposed to fix the tariff for my hostel rooms?’’ Chandrachud Singh, warden, Hindu College, concurs. He said, ‘‘There were rumours that technical staff or security personnel will stay in our hostels.’’ The principal of Miranda House has another cause for worry. ‘‘If tourists are going to stay in the rooms, we may also have to arrange for security and food. But the UGC hasn’t given us any grant for revamping the kitchen. The grant was only for renovating the rooms.’’

Ministry sources, not surprisingly, have a different take. Said the official, ‘‘More than Rs 20 crore has been spent on upgradation of the hostels in both DU and Jamia (Millia Islamia university). The 2,500 bedrooms that will be available after this renovation work were always meant to be used as budget accommodation, a fact that was made clear to both UGC and the colleges.’’ Officials say asking students to vacate the rooms for the renovation work in the hostels is a routine process. ‘‘Abroad as well, for mega sporting events like the Commonwealth Games, universities are asked to make space. Its an international norm,’’ added the official. According to the ministry, while some of the 2,500 beds may be set aside for use by volunteers, the majority would be for tourists.

In DU, hostellers were asked to vacate their rooms by the end of May in at least six of the eight colleges letting out their hostels for the Games. All these colleges received anything between Rs 50 crore and Rs 1.10 crore to renovate their hostels to accommodate guests during the event in October.

The UGC letter, dated August 2, asks the colleges on north campus for suggestions on deciding the tariff at which thay would like to let out their rooms during the Games. According to sources, the revenue generated from letting out the rooms will be going to the UGC, which may funnel the money back into the two universities, DU and Jamia.
Even as Delhi University students — made to stay away from hostels in the name of the Commonwealth Games — take up expensive accommodation outside, their colleges will be making a quick buck from renting out those hostel rooms. College principals have received letters from the UGC asking them to fix room tariffs for the upcoming Delhi Games. The rooms will be let out as budget accommodation to tourists expected to visit the city for the Games.

Interestingly, college authorities claim they did not know that the hostel rooms were being upgraded as tourist accommodation. However, the sports ministry, which is involved with the project, claims the project had always been targeted for tourist stay. Said a senior sports ministry official, ‘‘No one was forced, everyone volunteered to be part of the project. They knew what it (the hostels) was being upgraded for.’’ The point seems to be in debate now though. Said Bhim Sen Singh, principal, Kirori Mal College, ‘‘I was taken aback on receiving the letter from the UGC.

I am neither a businessman, nor a hotelier. How am I supposed to fix the tariff for my hostel rooms?’’ Chandrachud Singh, warden, Hindu College, concurs. He said, ‘‘There were rumours that technical staff or security personnel will stay in our hostels.’’ The principal of Miranda House has another cause for worry. ‘‘If tourists are going to stay in the rooms, we may also have to arrange for security and food. But the UGC hasn’t given us any grant for revamping the kitchen. The grant was only for renovating the rooms.’’

Ministry sources, not surprisingly, have a different take. Said the official, ‘‘More than Rs 20 crore has been spent on upgradation of the hostels in both DU and Jamia (Millia Islamia university). The 2,500 bedrooms that will be available after this renovation work were always meant to be used as budget accommodation, a fact that was made clear to both UGC and the colleges.’’ Officials say asking students to vacate the rooms for the renovation work in the hostels is a routine process. ‘‘Abroad as well, for mega sporting events like the Commonwealth Games, universities are asked to make space. Its an international norm,’’ added the official. According to the ministry, while some of the 2,500 beds may be set aside for use by volunteers, the majority would be for tourists.

In DU, hostellers were asked to vacate their rooms by the end of May in at least six of the eight colleges letting out their hostels for the Games. All these colleges received anything between Rs 50 crore and Rs 1.10 crore to renovate their hostels to accommodate guests during the event in October.

The UGC letter, dated August 2, asks the colleges on north campus for suggestions on deciding the tariff at which thay would like to let out their rooms during the Games. According to sources, the revenue generated from letting out the rooms will be going to the UGC, which may funnel the money back into the two universities, DU and Jamia.