Boy’s hostel at Delhi's Hindu College set to get a makeover, alumni bid it adieu
NEW DELHI: The boys’ hostel in Hindu College under the University of Delhi is all set to get a makeover. The eight-decade-old building will be razed to make way for a new one as it had become damaged beyond repair.
The new hostel building, slated to be a five-storey structure, will be able to accommodate around 500 students when ready, compared to the present strength of 250 students.
Since the structure of the present hostel building was not strong enough to sustain further construction work, the administration decided to demolish it and construct a new one with greater capacity.
Anju Srivastava, the principal of the Hindu College, while speaking to this newspaper, said, “The hostel building was quite old. There were certain portions in the building which were beyond repairs and we didn’t want to take the risk. Thus we decided to have a whole new hostel building for the students such that we can accommodate as many as 500 students now in that building. Earlier we only had a capacity of 250 students.”
“The construction work has not even started yet so it is difficult to say how much time it will take but approximately the five-storey building should be ready in two and half years. The new structure will be built at a cost of `50 crore.”
Some of the alumni recalled fond memories of the hostel. Hindi film director Imtiaz Ali shared a post on Facebook recalling his days there.
He posted photos of himself posing in the hostel premises. “Is this the last time I am seeing you? So much of me is here- Hindu College hostel, Delhi as it goes for demolition and reconstruction,” he wrote on Facebook.
The hostel was built in 1953 on Sudhir Bose Marg on North Campus. Several distinguished personalities including government officials, political personalities, artists and famous actors have studied in the Hindu College.
Some alumni members also wish to take parts of debris from the hostel and keep them as mementos.
The old building has reportedly been closed since the Covid-19 pandemic.