(UPDATE on March 26th: SSMS announced in a root mail that students on campus are able to register online to avail mess services, instead of paying on a meal-by-meal basis. They also announced that instead of paying the normal ₹130 per day, students who are not on campus will only be charged ₹20 per day, in order to ensure that SSMS employees continue to receive salaries in this tough period.)

Amid the closure of the campus due to the COVID-19 outbreak, SSMS is still serving pupils currently on the campus. Kesava Garikipati, the president of SSMS, was kind enough to talk to the English Press Club about the ongoing mess operations within the campus.  

Kesava said that as of 18th March 2020, around one hundred students were availing the mess facilities on campus. They are being charged on a pay-to-eat basis with a nominal fee of about ₹50. He mentioned that students would not be charged the daily mess basic in the duration of their absence, though he did say that they would be charged a nominal fee. He also added that SSMS is working on some alternative sources of payment in order to minimize the financial burden on the students. 

‘Being the central kitchen, the currently-operating RPA mess, is sufficient to fulfil the demands,’ said Kesava. As a part of the precautionary measures being taken, a fixed set of employees is taking charge of the mess services. All of them are wearing safety gloves and masks. Kesava added they are screened daily at the main gate to ensure their sound health. Proper decorum is being maintained in the mess with timely cleaning. 

Kesava also informed that the Institute has ordered all the eateries on the campus to suspend their exertion till further notice.