Overcrowding Crisis: MAMC Hostel packs 3200 students into 200-capacity space, LG, CM step in with emergency plan

New Delhi: The hostel of Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC) in Delhi, which has a capacity of only 200 students, now accommodates 3,200 students.

Taking note of the severe overcrowding at the MAMC Hostel, the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, V K Saxena, and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday directed the Public Works Department (PWD) to immediately prepare a comprehensive plan to accommodate at least 4,000 students and doctors, the Indian Express has reported.

These directions were issued after the L-G and the CM held an emergency meeting on Thursday to review the security, infrastructure, and amenities at MAMC, Lok Nayak Hospital, G B Pant Hospital, and Guru Nayak Eye Centre Complex. Health Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh was also present at the meeting.

Further, the meeting was attended by Deans, Directors, and other senior officials from the concerned departments.

After the meeting, the L-G office issued a statement mentioning, "It emerged during the meeting that an extremely serious situation had arisen over the past few years, concerning security of students and doctors, acute shortage of accommodation, crumbling civil infrastructure, and severe lack of space due to encroachments…"

Officials informed that while the medical complex was set up in 1958 and had a strength of 200 students, currently, more than 3,200 students are staying there.

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Commenting on this, an official told Indian Express, "This has led to a situation where, in a room meant for double occupancy, as many as 6-7 students are staying, leaving zero room for even a study table. Similarly, because of a lack of space, resident doctors were forced to sleep and rest in corridors and outside nursing stations."

According to the officials from the Lieutenant Governor's office, PWD, the body responsible for developing sufficient accommodation for students and residents, could not do anything till now due to land mafia encroachment of the land meant for expansion.

Additionally, the complex had some of the monuments protected by certain Archaeological Survey of India. This made the situation even more challenging because of the lack of permission for construction and repair by the ASI.

Speaking to the Daily in this regard, the official further added, "Dean (MAMC) pointed out that in 2023-24, a three-month window was provided by the ASI to carry out necessary repairs and maintenance work in the existing structures. However, this could not be done due to funds not being sanctioned by the then government, and MAMC was forced to carry out minor repairs by way of crowdfunding."

The L-G, CM and the Minister were informed that the buildings were in an extremely dilapidated condition as chunks of plaster and concrete often were falling off, resulting in safety and life of students and doctors being threatened. The officials opined that if the repairs were not carried out immediately, a mishap could take place.

Among other directions, the L-G and CM asked the Delhi police to ensure immediate deployment of security presence on the campus. Further the police were directed to act against anti-social elements, who, the students had alleged, were threatening them.

Referring to this, the official added, "Police were directed to ensure immediate and stringent action against bootleggers and drug cartels on campus. All land-owning agencies, along with hospital authorities, were directed to immediately carry out a survey of land allotted to these medical institutions and identify the encroachment thereon… As religious structures are encroaching, the department concerned was asked to refer the matter to the religious committee."