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Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Friday, July 17, conducted a surprise inspection at the MC Raja Social Justice Hostel near Saidapet in Chennai, where students raised concerns over poor food quality, inadequate amenities, safety issues and the hostile behaviour of authorities.
During the inspection, the Chief Minister interacted with students residing there, who complained to him about the quality of food, deficiencies in toilet facilities, and the lack of adequate CCTV surveillance.
Several students alleged that meals served at the hostel often contain worms and bugs. “The quality of food improved briefly after we protested last year, but it deteriorated again within days,” a student told the Chief Minister.
They alleged that kitchen workers did not use gloves or caps while preparing food and claimed that only a fraction of the facility has the CCTV cameras installed.
Students preparing for Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) and Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examinations said the hostel gates were closed at 9.30 pm, forcing those returning late from work or coaching classes to spend the night outside the hostel, including in nearby parks.
They also alleged that “rowdies” had entered the hostel premises and accused some wardens and watchmen of verbally abusing residents. Students further sought better maintenance of the hostel, along with improved sports and other basic facilities.
Chief Minister Vijay assured the students that their grievances would be addressed and directed the officials to take immediate measures.
“From the outside, people think we are living well in a 10-storey building, but no one knows how poorly the basic amenities are maintained here,” said Aakash, a second-year Tamil student at Nandanam Government Arts College, who has been staying at the hostel for the past two years.
“I complained to the Chief Minister about the abusive language used by the management, the need for a gym to help students recovering from drug addiction and the lack of ground and library facilities,” he added.
The Chief Minister was accompanied by Social Justice department minister Vanni Arasu, Backward Classes Welfare minister V Sampath Kumar, and senior officials from the departments.
Speaking after the visit, Vanni Arasu said, “This is the first time a Chief Minister has directly interacted with students during a surprise visit. The students have raised some requirements, and we will ensure they are addressed.”
The 10-storey MC Raja Social Justice Hostel in Saidapet was constructed by the previous Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government through the then Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare department, now renamed as the Social Justice department, at a cost of Rs 44.50 crore.