Kolkata: Presidency University students block College Street for 21 hrs over hostel related demands

Reportedly, the agitating students started blocking College Street-M.G. Road crossing near Presidency campus at around 5 pm. on Thursday and the blockade-cum-sit-in-demonstration is still underway for last 21 long hours.

Amid pressures from locals, commuters and police, protesters had agreed to relax their blockade from the important road, which connects Howrah and Sealdah railway stations, for one hour to facilitate traffic movement, though their blockade has been resumed again, according to the latest update came in.

Protesting students said that their agitation and road blockade will continue until the Vice-Chancellor of Presidency University, Anuradha Lohia, arrives the scene and holds a discussion on the issues with them.

"We are holding road blockade and peaceful demonstration over several hostel related demands, including an immediate completion of renovation works and reopening of Hindu Hostel's third, fourth and fifth Wards, and reemployment of eight old mess-staffers and cooks," a protesting resident-student of PU's Hindu Hostel told IBNS.

Reacting on the issue, Presidency VC Anuradha Lohia said, "It's not possible for us to fulfill all of their demands and we had told this multiple times earlier as they have been agitating over the same issue inside the campus since January."

In February, protesting resident-students had gheraoed the VC and dean of students for three and five days, respectively.

In July 2015, Presidency authority had shut down the century-old Hindu Hostel for repairing and renovation and shifted 150 of its boarders to few rented accommodations in New Town area.

However, in 2018, after failing to meet multiple preset deadlines, some of the wards and floors of the renovated Hindu Hostel were handed over to the resident-students.