Locks now adorn the gates of the colleges that once opened for students and professors alike, bustling past to reach their classes. The rising COVID-19 cases in the city had parents panic and the lockdown that followed saw a mass migration of the students back to their hometown. Now, areas that housed many of the college-going students lie deserted due to which an entire eco-system that had flourished around them, has collapsed.
Owing to high rentals and uncertainty of when educational institutes will resume classes, many vacated their rented spaces. Dushyant, who studies at Maya Academy of Advanced Cinematics (MAAC), South Extension, left for his hometown Lakhimpur, Assam, on June 11 after vacating the studio apartment he had rented in Munirka Village that houses students from JNU, DU, IIT and those taking coaching for various competitive examinations. “As the institute closed and the fear of contracting COVID-19 became real, my parents insisted I return home.
So, I packed my bags and left. Continuing to rent the space was not an option as I would have to continue paying Rs 6,000 on a monthly basis. Also, I do not plan to return any time soon,” said Dushyant. Similarly, Edith Dawa, a pass out of Ambedkar University who is currently preparing for PhD, had left for her home in Ladakh just days before the lockdown was announced. “I didn’t want to continue paying `9,000 every month for a space that won’t be used for at least a half the year.
So, I stored my belongings at a friend’s house here.” With many students having vacated their rental spaces and demand hitting rock bottom, property dealers and landlords find themselves in a tough position. For one such property dealer in New Gupta, North Campus, who chose to stay anonymous fearing he would upset the union, tells us how his business is in shambles. “On a regular day, I would have 25-30 students looking for spaces on rent.
Now, I barely have one or two in a span of four-five days. Eager to get their houses up on the market, many landlords have drastically lowered the rent. Some are still reluctant to lower the prices.” With no income coming in, he is utilising the savings he collected after working in this sector for 15 years to look after his family of four.
Wishing not to catch the eye of the tax department, landlords were reluctant to talk. One landlord, who owns four buildings – one in Saidulajab and the rest in Westend Marg, Saket – all for rental purposes, spoke on the terms of anonymity. “Most of the rooms, in all the four buildings, were usually occupied by students. When many of them left for their hometown, I faced huge financial losses. Right now, only a few rooms are occupied by students who don’t want to go home, and rest of the occupied rooms are taken by families or people working in IT companies.” Smaller businesses, like bottled drinking water suppliers, are also badly hit. Chandan’s family moved to Delhi 20 years ago and began a business of delivering bottled water in Old Gupta, North Campus.
“I took over the business from my father four years ago. We used to deliver around 50 bottles a day. Now, it is roughly around 15 as the major chunk of the demand came from the students,” said Chandan, hopeful that once the colleges reopen, students will return and his business will prosper once again. Students living by themselves also opt for the five kg gas cylinders, but with the mass migration, gas delivery services have experienced a drastic fall in demand. Wishing not to be named, the shop owner of a gas delivery store at Vijay Nagar revealed he was facing a loss of Rs 1,500 every day. “I would supply 50-60 cylinders on a daily basis. Now, it has reduced to not more than three. Even with all these losses, I still have to pay Rs 15,000 rent for the shop.”