No room for visitors at GMC boys’ hostels

Manmeet Singh Gill

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, June 16

In the absence of adequate facilities, including visitors’ rooms for guardians, at Government Medical College (GMC) here, the students often have to attend their guests in canteens or under the shade of trees.

Though the four girls’ hostels at the college have one room each for every block for visitors, students complain that furniture is not of good quality. Students want the authorities concerned to install sofas and air coolers. The boys’ hostels do not even have a single visitors’ room.

A college student said, “In case a male visitor comes, he can be taken to the boys’ room but the problem arises when someone’s mother, sister or any other female visitor turns up. She cannot go inside the hostel. Same is the case for male visitors at girls’ hostels.”

Students said such facilities should be available at the hostels as it becomes difficult for visitors and hostellers to meet in the open in extreme weather conditions. “It is not comfortable to meet under trees. Canteens are not the best place to talk about personal matters with family members when other students are around,” said a female student.

Hostellers have also repeatedly complained about poor condition and lack of basic amenities. In March this year, students complaining about poor condition at hostels had blocked the way of Medical Education Minister Brahm Mohindra and let him go when he agreed to have a round of the hostels.

The minister had on the spot announced a grant of Rs 10 lakh for improving the condition of the hostels but the funds never reached the college. The hostellers complained that despite the matter was brought to the notice of the minister, no change was witnessed.

When contacted, Dr Sumitoj Singh Dhaliwal, in-charge of GMC hostels, said, “We have already moved an application for getting new furniture. As soon as we get it, the old ones will be replaced. Rooms for visitors will also be constructed at the boys’ hostels.”