LUCKNOW, July 24 -- Ahead of the arrival of new students, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University (BBAU) has upgraded hostel facilities to ensure better living conditions and food quality on campus, vice-chancellor Prof Raj Kumar Mittal said. The upgrades come months after a female student allegedly died at a university hostel earlier this year after consuming a meal served there, an incident that triggered protests by students demanding improved hostel infrastructure and accountability. Speaking about the changes, Prof Mittal said the major focus has been on revamping the hostel mess kitchens. "The kitchen has been upgraded to provide quality and nutritious food," he said. Apart from the kitchen, the university has also carried out other infrastructure improvements. These include installation of water coolers wherever necessary, garden landscaping, and development of walking pathways across hostels to create a more student-friendly environment. "We have taken this move to provide a comfortable atmosphere to students where they can study and stay with proper facilities," the VC added. To strengthen student support, the administration has also allocated wardens and deputy wardens to each hostel. "They can help with immediate solutions to any of the students' problems while they stay on campus," Prof Mittal said. University officials said the goal is to address past concerns and ensure that students have access to clean food, safe drinking water and responsive hostel management from day one of the new session. With the admission process already ongoing for academic session, authorities said they are committed to making the campus more secure and comfortable so students can focus on academics without worrying about basic amenities. htc...