<p> The problem of soaring rent at guest houses around Delhi University’s North Campus is caught in red tape, as the city government has told DU that regulating them is beyond its ambit. <br /><br /></p>.<p>In response to the university’s letter asking for implementation of the Delhi Rent Control Act, the government wrote to the university Registrar last week, saying the “subject matter” does not pertain to them.<br /><br />Earlier, a committee set up by the DU Vice Chancellor had recommended implementation of the Act around the university and college campuses as one of the measures to deal with shortage of hostel accommodation. <br /><br />“We wrote to the LG asking to implement the Rent Control Act. And we also looked at possibilities of optimising hotel accommodation,” committee member and deputy dean of students’ welfare Gulshan Sawhney said. <br /><br />DU in its letter asked the government to save students from harassment by “unscrupulous landlords”. It also said the rent in the area is rising by two-third every year.<br /><br />A student has to shell out anything between Rs 8,000 and Rs 9,000 for accommodation in areas like Vijay Nagar, Kamla Nagar, Hudson Lane and Bungalow Road. <br /><br />According to the Delhi Rent Control Act, landlords can increase rent by a maximum of 10 per cent every 11 months. But students say since no agreements are usually signed, rent is increased frequently. <br /><br />DU has 17 campus hostels with some 9,000 seats. This number is far too less compared to the number of students enrolled in various courses. The university admits 54,000 students every year for its undergraduate courses, and most colleges get over half of the students from other states. <br /><br />Due to the huge crunch for accommodation, many students are forced to go for alternative arrangements, which mean shelling out more money.<br /><br />The government had also referred the university’s letter to the Directorate of Higher Education and the Land and Buildings Department.</p>
<p> The problem of soaring rent at guest houses around Delhi University’s North Campus is caught in red tape, as the city government has told DU that regulating them is beyond its ambit. <br /><br /></p>.<p>In response to the university’s letter asking for implementation of the Delhi Rent Control Act, the government wrote to the university Registrar last week, saying the “subject matter” does not pertain to them.<br /><br />Earlier, a committee set up by the DU Vice Chancellor had recommended implementation of the Act around the university and college campuses as one of the measures to deal with shortage of hostel accommodation. <br /><br />“We wrote to the LG asking to implement the Rent Control Act. And we also looked at possibilities of optimising hotel accommodation,” committee member and deputy dean of students’ welfare Gulshan Sawhney said. <br /><br />DU in its letter asked the government to save students from harassment by “unscrupulous landlords”. It also said the rent in the area is rising by two-third every year.<br /><br />A student has to shell out anything between Rs 8,000 and Rs 9,000 for accommodation in areas like Vijay Nagar, Kamla Nagar, Hudson Lane and Bungalow Road. <br /><br />According to the Delhi Rent Control Act, landlords can increase rent by a maximum of 10 per cent every 11 months. But students say since no agreements are usually signed, rent is increased frequently. <br /><br />DU has 17 campus hostels with some 9,000 seats. This number is far too less compared to the number of students enrolled in various courses. The university admits 54,000 students every year for its undergraduate courses, and most colleges get over half of the students from other states. <br /><br />Due to the huge crunch for accommodation, many students are forced to go for alternative arrangements, which mean shelling out more money.<br /><br />The government had also referred the university’s letter to the Directorate of Higher Education and the Land and Buildings Department.</p>