Ahmedabad’s L D Engineering College faces severe shortage of hostel facilities for students

Gujarat’s oldest and largest government engineering college, L D Engineering College, is grappling with an acute shortage of hostel facilities, particularly for girl students. Despite being one of the most sought-after institutions for undergraduate and postgraduate engineering courses, the college has failed to provide adequate accommodation to its growing student population.

Currently, over 1,200 girl students are enrolled in the undergraduate programme across four years. Of these, nearly half are from outside Ahmedabad and require hostel facilities. However, the college has only one girls’ hostel with a capacity of just 150. This leaves around 600 girl students without college accommodation, forcing them to stay in private paying guest (PG) facilities.

Every year, about 300 girls secure admission to L D College, adding to the demand. Parents often express concerns about security and safety when sending their daughters to private PGs. Moreover, the financial burden is significant: while government college fees remain minimal, families are compelled to spend an additional ₹50,000–₹60,000 annually for PG housing due to the lack of hostel facilities.

The issue is not limited to girl students. The college’s boys’ hostel accommodates 1,200 students, but this too falls short of demand. With around 4,000–5,000 students studying across UG and PG programmes, hundreds of boys are also left to rely on private PGs.

Authorities at L D college have repeatedly sought government approval for the construction of a new 500-room girls’ hostel, along with an expansion of boys’ hostel facilities to accommodate an additional 1,000 students. Despite multiple representations, the proposals are pending.

As one of Gujarat’s premier government institutions, L D continues to attract students from across the state. However, without timely intervention to expand hostel facilities, both students and parents continue to face financial strain and safety concerns.