Expressing concern over the delay in the construction of a new campus of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bhubaneswar, due to want of required land, Chief Secretary Bijoy Kumar Patnaik directed the Khurda district administration to expedite the land acquisition process for handing over the rest 418 acres of land to the IIT authorities through IDCO by end of June next.
According to official sources, with initiatives from the State, the Union Government had approved establishment of the IIT near Bhubaneswar in Jatani Tehsil of Khurdha district. Considering the importance of the project, the State Government had approved allotment of around 935 acres of land and advance possession had been given over around 517 acres.
Sources said out of total land of 935 acres identified for the purpose, around 708 acres is Government land, which includes 153 acres of forest land. In order to expedite the land acquisition process, the Chief Secretary directed Khurda District Collector to identify equal revenue land for compensatory plantation. In case revenue land is not available, degraded forest land can also be selected for compensatory plantation as per provisions of the law, Patnaik told the Revenue department authorities.
Sources informed that Chief Secretary Patnaik had reviewed the progress of the construction of the IIT and other administrative and technical problems being faced by the institute.
According to the IIT authorities, out of the total land, 400 acres will be dedicated towards development of a science park. Around 14 km length of boundary wall has been raised and the construction of another 5 km is in progress.
During the meeting, the Chief Secretary directed the district administration and revenue officials to take possession over the balance acquired land by end of June next and hand it over to the institute through the IDCO.
He also asked the Works Department authorities to take up construction of 150 km wide two-lane road from NH-5 to IIT campus and finish all other formalities before end of June next. Similarly, CESU authorities were directed to stay ready with required equipment and manpower to construct permanent dedicated power supply line to the IIT campus.
The issues pertaining to diversion of Khudupur-Taraboi road and Jatani - Tirumala road, provision of 3 MGD water supply from Naraj, dedicated power supply etc. were discussed and resolved in the meeting.
It has also been decided that a police outpost will be set up near the campus. Meanwhile, in another development, Director NISER who was present in the meeting appraised that the new campus wall of NISER adjacent to the IIT campus is nearing its completion. They proposed to move to the new campus by December next. Chief Secretary Patnaik directed Housing and Urban Development Department (H &UD) to ensure temporary water supply to the new NISER campus till permanent water supply system from Naraj is completed.
Among others, Employment and Technical Education Secretary Dr CS Kumar, H & UD Secretary Injeti Srinivas, Revenue and Disaster Management Secretary Tara Datt and Khurda District Collector Roopa Mishra, besides other officials, participated.