Osmania University hostel woes: Students face shocks, waterlogging and poor sanitation

Osmania University’s E1 hostel, housing law students, is plagued by flooding, unsafe wiring, lack of drinking water and sanitation issues. Students say complaints have gone unanswered, even as officials indicate plans to shift them to a newly launched hostel

Hyderabad: From flooded rooms and electric shocks to lack of clean drinking water, problems are aplenty for Osmania University (OU) hostel students.

At the E1 hostel, meant for law college students, every downpour leaves rooms waterlogged while students risk shocks from damp switchboards. The deteriorating structure, a Nizam-era horse stable later converted into a hostel with asbestos sheets, now exposes students to severe risks. In several rooms, cardboard sheets placed to cover ageing asbestos have collapsed, letting rainwater pour directly into living spaces.

According to university sources, more than 20 out of 103 rooms in E1 hostel face severe issues. Room No. 8, occupied by third-year law student K Rohith, is one of the worst affected. “At least half the room gets submerged whenever it rains, with ankle-length water inside. If it rains at night, we are forced to move elsewhere. We have submitted several representations to the college, university and even at Prajavani, yet nothing has changed,” he said.

The problem extends beyond flooding. “As rainwater seeps into the switchboards, we often get electric shocks while switching on lights or fans. We avoid using them during rain,” Rohith added.

Students also face hardships due to the hostel’s defunct water purifier, forcing them to fetch water from the mess. “We either carry bottles or cans from the mess. Despite repeated complaints, the issue persists,” said Venkatesh, another inmate.

Sanitation is equally grim. One washroom caters to nearly 120 students, and even that often remains closed due to sewer line works. With non-boarders using the facility, students said waiting for a bath sometimes takes over an hour.

“Sometimes we are forced to relieve ourselves in the open,” said Krishna M, a fourth-year law student.

Acknowledging the problems, a College of Law official said the university was actively considering shifting E1 inmates to a new hostel that was recently launched.