Pune: After criticism, SPPU drops move to charge fee for walk on campus

In less than 24 hours, the Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) authorities dropped its decision to charge Rs 1,000 per month from those coming for their morning and evening walks to the campus.

The turnaround followed widespread criticism after which state higher and technical education minister Uday Samant said the decision was being withdrawn.

“SPPU was going to start a scheme called SPPU Oxy Park under which common citizens would have to pay fees for morning and evening walks on campus. This decision has been suspended and they have been asked to restructure the scheme,” the Minister tweeted.

SPPU Registrar Prafulla Pawar confirmed the same. “The scheme will be restructured, we will issue the details later,” he said.

Earlier, Registrar Prafulla Pawar had issued a circular about ‘SPPU Oxy Park initiative’, which was to come into effect from June 21 (Yoga Day) under which outsiders (besides students and staffers) who visit the 411-acre campus for morning and evening walks would have to pay membership fees.

Only outsiders with membership cards would be given entry for exercise between 4.30am and 8am and later from 6.30pm to 8pm.

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Besides entry for walks, members would have been entitled to emergency medical services and a cardiac ambulance, free parking, open gym, free drinking water and toilet facilities, concession in university gymnasium, library and sports facilities besides other things.

The decision was, however, met with severe criticism from all quarters as the university grounds have been a popular area for morning walks for decades. A number of people also took to social media to criticise the university’s decision.