Feb. 13: Snapped to attention by last week’s incident when several Gauhati University boarders detained a public works department engineer and his staff for several hours on charges of delaying the repair of hostels, the varsity administration has decided to conduct an inquiry into the allegations.

The Gauhati University Contractors’ Association alleged that the PWD engineer Ramoni Sarma had been demanding bribe for assigning orders to the contractors and this was causing the delay in the execution of the project.

Gauhati University vice-chancellor G.N. Talukdar said the administration is ready to conduct the probe once the association submits a formal complaint.

The Postgraduate Students’ Union and the All Assam Students’ Union have already demanded an inquiry to bring the guilty to book.

Following last week’s incident, the renovation of the hostels has been taken up on a war footing.

Talukdar said he has instructed the PWD to proceed with the repairs even at night. “Renovation must be completed at an early date. Any kind delay will not be tolerated,” he said. The administration has asked the university wing of the PWD to explain the delay.

Last year, the state government had released Rs 1 crore to renovate the university hostels.

The hostels are in a deplorable state, and often, thefts take place when the boarders leave the premises to attend classes.

Recently, cash and other valuables were stolen from the girls’ hostel. Such thefts have become common because of the absence of a boundary wall.

Sources said the varsity authorities will also approach the Numaligarh Refinery Limited to construct well-equipped hostels for both boys and girls. The refinery had shown interest in the construction project and had asked the varsity authorities to submit a detailed project report.

Gauhati University has 20 hotels, of which 11 are for boys and the rest are for girls.