Students residing in Karmavir Bhaurao Patil Boy’s Hostel of Mumbai university, Kalina campus, has forced the mess to shut. All 110 students living in 80 rooms in the hostel eat outside the campus.

Last week, students staying in the boys’ hostel protested in front of Vice-Chancellor Rajan Welukar’s house for two nights alleging that they are being served poor quality food. The students have been demanding to remove the contractor.

VC had refused to meet them on the two nights when students protested. On Friday when the students protested on the campus, Welukar met them and promised to change the contractor. As students have stopped eating in the mess, it is closed since Sunday, said sources. Students said they would not eat in the mess until the contractor is changed.

Hostel warden Prof Sanjay Deshpande was unreachable for comments but another official said that the dues of students were being recovered. The hostel may get a new mess in-charge. He said it has been arranged for students to eat at Anna Bhau Sathe Hostel which is given to TISS students. Students, however, said that Sathe hostel contractor has increase the thali charge from Rs27 to Rs35 seizing the opportunity. The mess contractor could not be reached.