India, Aug. 4 -- The canteen at the Topiwala National Medical College and BYL Nair Charitable Hospital hostel at Haji Ali has been non-functional for nearly two months, forcing over 400 student residents to rely on street food or order food via online aggregators, spending at least Rs.250-300 per meal. Canteen services have been suspended over pending rent and students are being provided meals via the college canteen, said the college administration. But hostel residents said the supply was erratic and quality, poor.

On July 31, hostel residents submitted a letter to the dean, Dr Shailesh Mohite, through the hostel warden, seeking urgent resumption of canteen services, especially in light of their impending final examination.

"The closu...