Presidency University will renovate three wards of Eden Hindu Hostel once the finance department sanctions the funds, vice-chancellor Anuradha Lohia told students on the New Town campus on Thursday.

Some students have been on an indefinite sit-in on the College Street campus since January 21 over an alleged delay in repairs.

“I have told the representatives of students that the university is awaiting the sanction of funds from the finance department to start the renovation. Once the funds are sanctioned, the PWD, which is now the hostel’s custodian, will begin the job,” Lohia said.

A university official said a Rs 2-crore project was awaiting the finance department’s approval.

Students have said that many from the districts were being denied accommodation in the hostel as three of the six wards were in a state of disrepair.

VC Lohia met representatives of the girls’ hostel at Salt Lake. Some girls, too, are part of the sit-in on the College Street campus.

They have questioned the “return by 10pm” rule, saying as adults they should not be subjected to such restrictions. They alleged water supply was “poor”.

Of the 210 students staying at a hostel in BF Block, several had recently written to the dean of students, Arun Maity, questioning the rule.

“I have told the girl representatives the university would remove the bar if the government okayed the removal. The hostel is the government’s property; so, we need to take its consent,” Lohia said.

Anit Baidya, one of the boarders who met VC Lohia on Thursday, said the sit-in would continue as the authorities could not specify when the renovation would start.