PG rates shoot up

[1]

It seems the Commonwealth Games have become a spoilsport for many outstation students of Delhi University. While second and third year students have been asked to vacate their hostel rooms to accommodate CWG delegates, freshers are likely to have a much longer spell of homelessness as they would be allotted rooms only after the games are over.
To make it worse for students, reports confirm that cashing in on the opportunity, landlords have hiked the rent for PG digs and private hostels. But many landlords claim the hike was naturally in the offing. Kaushal Singh, who runs a PG for girls in Kamla Nagar, says the increase in the rate is the annual 12 per cent, which is fixed. “Running a PG is a business for us. And as the rates of all commodities are rising, we need to hike our rates as well. The average rate of a twin-sharing room till last month was Rs 7,000-7,500 which has increased up to 8,000-8,500,” she says.
Interestingly, some students are looking at the brighter side of things. “We will get better rooms and facilities at the end of the year,” says Surbhi Sinha from Gaya, who wants to do Botany (Hons). Another aspirant, Ruchi Gupta from Dhanbad, who has scored 87 per cent in Class 12 and wants to pursue B.Com (Hons) from SRCC, says that in any case students have to keep the PG option open. “Not every outstation student gets a hostel room. Only a few lucky ones with good marks or from the ECA quota and at times those who have contacts with college officials get a hostel seat,” says Ruchi.
However, students who have to move out of college hostels are the worst hit. Abhishek from Hansraj College says that college authorities are not providing them any alternative and it is difficult to look for a PG at this point as aspirants who are sure of getting through the cut-off reserve rooms in advance. “Most PGs are already full. The ones that are vacant have increased the rates arbitrarily. Some are even asking for Rs 10,000 per month in areas like Malkhaganj and Haqueeqat Nagar,” says Abhishek, who is now planning to share a flat with two other friends as that will be cheaper.
PGs located a bit far off from the campus are happy that with the crunch of PGs in the campus area students would come to them. Harshbala, who runs a PG in Shastri Nagar, says that she rents out a twin-sharing room to girls for Rs 2,500, but without meals. “Last year, we didn’t get many girls. I hope this time it is better,” she says.
*Some names changed on request