Visit to new hostel under construction

We visited a couple of rooms in the new hostel on 11th May. Our immediate reaction was that size of the room was very less especially the breadth. What surprised us more was the layout of toilet and distribution of floorarea. A lot of space was provided for wash basin (6 nos), urinals (3 nos)but two of three Water Closets were provided with extremely inadequatewidth. It is a very poor plan. We gave many suggestions to the supervisers present there and also to the Dean of Students. I will not mention all suggestions here as they are many in number.

After this I was called for a meeting with the architects and Chairman of planning committe. There again the suggestions were discussed and changes were made. Toilet layout was changed completely. It was decided that I would visit hostel rooms again. Which I did along with Harshit in the morning of 21st May. We suggested changes in the height of rack in the closed cupboard to accomodate a full size notebook. It was well taken.

On the way, I was informed that the balconies, which are open from inside, were going to be fitted with steel grills. This was strange.

I have informed the site manager about this but he can do very little about it. I have then spoken to Dean of Students. I have appreciated the concern behind the decision to fit grills. But in my opinion it is an unnecessary action. I am sure that if at all somebody wants to jump over the parapet of the balcony, then he has many more open balconies in the other (taller) buildings in the campus. This also gives rise to a thought about the terrace. Are they going to keep terrace closed all the time? I think with closed terrace, closed balconies and a couple of watchment at the entrance, it is going to be more like a jail than a students' residence.