PUNE: Concerns have been raised for years regarding the living conditions in numerous abhyasikas and the cramped spaces in the older neighborhoods. Residents expressed these worries to additional municipal commissioner Prithviraj B P during a recent meeting. The increasing student population has further strained local infrastructure.
In response, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has launched a survey of all abhyasikas in the old city and the paying guest system. Guidelines for their operation will be issued.
Prithviraj mentioned complaints about illegal parking, abhyasikas functioning in designated parking areas, safety, and hygiene issues due to overcrowded living conditions. A meeting was convened to address these issues, with various PMC departments tasked with the effort. “Our goal is to establish guidelines regarding the minimum space required for each student in an abhyasika, along with the number of sanitation facilities necessary and safety regulations that need to be observed,” stated Prithviraj.
Additionally, there will be advisory issued for PGs. “If residential units are transitioned into PGs, commercial tax will be enforced. We will also determine the minimum space required for students in PGs to avoid overcrowding, such as preventing 15 students from being crammed into a small one-bedroom unit. We plan to draft these guidelines and engage with all stakeholders, including the police, private class operators, and property owners, to promote adherence. Although penalties may be considered later, our primary aim is not punitive but ensuring basic needs are met for students,” he added.
Last October, a fire ravaged a two-decade-old abhyasika but fortunately, no casualties occurred. These centres charge between ₹800 and ₹3,000 per person per month, depending on the available space. Many students from across Maharashtra frequent these abhyasikas for MPSC coaching, using them for study and cheap lodging in nearby dilapidated structures.
“Most students come from rural areas with limited funds for decent accommodation. Instead of seeking proper housing, they allocate their money to sharing reading rooms and cots. They spend most of their time in these facilities, with the cot used primarily for sleeping,” noted an MPSC aspirant.
However, Mahesh Gharbude, president of the Competitive Exams Students Association, is skeptical about the impact of the survey. “A similar initiative was announced post-fire last year, yet nothing materialized. Illegal abhyasikas in basements and on rooftops were briefly shut down but resumed normal operations within ten days. Many of these places lack adequate washrooms, and enforcing guidelines for PGs is challenging due to Pune’s high cost of living. For financially strapped students, cot-sharing remains the only affordable option. Without the provision of economical student hostels, conditions will remain unchanged,” Gharbude concluded.
