Mesh no match as monkeys take over PU hostels

Time of India

02-08-2025

Chandigarh: Students at Panjab University hostels say they live in constant fear of monkeys that routinely enter corridors, snatch food, and drag away clothes, despite mesh barriers installed in many buildings (only girls' hostels) to keep them out.
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There are seven girls' hostels on the main campus and three more in Sector 25. Similarly, boys' hostels face the same problem- seven on main campus and another on south campus. In many cases, monkeys enter through broken or damaged sections of mesh, climb stairwells, and slip into common areas and rooms.
"Monkeys come right into our corridors. Last week, one ran off with my towel and another kept roaming in corridor, making us stay inside rooms while we were getting late," said Ramandeep Kaur, a resident of Girls Hostel 4 (GH4).
Harshita from GH7 added, "We can't leave doors open or dry our clothes outside. It's scary, they are unpredictable."
Vishal Malik, a resident of Boys Hostel 6, said, "It's the same here. Monkeys enter balconies and turn rooms upside down. Sometimes we have to shout and drive them out with sticks, but it's not always safe."
University officials say some preventive steps have been taken, but student cooperation is also needed.
"We are working on repairing damaged mesh in the affected hostels and have advised students not to leave discarded food or wrappers in corridors or balconies, which attracts monkeys," said Namita Gupta, Dean Students' Welfare (Women).
The monkey menace is part of a wider set of complaints raised by residents. Most hostels on the main campus still lack English-style toilets, with western toilets available only attached to few guest rooms or some floors.
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Rain-related issues add to the discomfort in older hostels. In GH1 and GH2, both old constructions, water seepage through terrace cracks and walls is a recurring problem during the monsoon. "Water starts dripping down walls whenever it rains heavily, damaging clothes," said Dhruvika, a resident of GH2. "Staircases get wet and slippery, and girls have slipped more than often."
In taller hostels with six or more floors, students also report regular elevator breakdowns and restricted access. "The lift in GH3 shuts down after 11 pm," said one resident. "It also gets stuck often, and help isn't always quick." With another academic year underway and hostel occupancy rising, residents say the problems need to be addressed.