To be shifted back after total renovation of Boys Hostel

Mysore/Mysuru: With leaking and plaster falling off the roof at Under-Graduate Boys Hostel, the authorities of Mysore Medical College and Research Institute (MMC&RI) are accommodating first year medical students in Karnataka State Open University (KSOU) hostel, off Hunsur Road, till the renovation of the existing building on JLB Road in city is completed.

The rooms, situated on third floor of the UG Medical Hostel for Boys, were in a bad condition with the peeled plaster falling on students. The Hostel was built 50 years ago to house the UG medicos who seek admission to Government Medical College, Mysuru. Over the years, due to lack of maintenance, the Hostel building had become unfit for occupation. 

Recently, this came to the notice of Health and Medical Education Minister Dr. K. Sudhakar who personally visited the Hostel, and assured funds to renovate the building. Subsequently, the PWD engineers inspected the building and recommended for renovation of the building as demolition was not permitted since it was less than 50 years.

Dr. C. P. Nanjaraj, Dean and Director, MMC&RI, told SOM that as many as 75 UG students who got admission into the Institute, have been given accommodation at KSOU Hostel till the UG Hostel renovation was done. Almost all the rooms on the third floor of the Hostel have been found ‘unsafe’ for occupancy following cement cakes falling from the roof. Even the Minister has asked the MMC&RI authorities to house them temporarily in KSOU Hostel till repair works are completed. “We took this decision in the interest of students,” he added.

Waiting for funds

He said this issue was taken up during the pre-budget meeting with the Health Minister in Bengaluru last month, and requested for early release of grants to take up the repair works. 

The Minister has promised funds from the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS) or from the State Government in 2021-22 budget. According to the estimate, the repair works may cost around Rs.5 crore. The third floor has been completely vacated. The students are allowed to stay in rooms on the ground and the first floor of the hostel.

The Director said already, the UG Hostel for Girls situated adjacent to Nanjaraja Bahadur Choultry Road, parallel to D. Devaraja Urs Road, had been renovated. The UG Boys Hostel was pending for renovation, he added.