The students and faculties of the Khallikote Cluster University have a reason to be happy now as the long-awaited foundation-stone of its new campus was laid down at Sat-Chit Ananda Vihar at Palur Hill here on Wednesday.
Chancellor of Universities and Governor Prof Ganeshi Lal laid the foundation stone through videoconferencing from the Raj Bhavan, Bhubaneswar.
Vice-Chancellor Prof Amarendra Narayan Mishra, Registrar Kishore Chandra Das, PG Council Chairman Prof Yogesh Kumar Panigrahi, Professor in charge, Central Library Dr Jyotshna Sahu, Assistant Prof Dr R Kampa and Dr Mrutunjaya Sethi were present here. In view of Covid pandemic, all wore facemasks and maintained social distancing. Even scribes were not invited for Covid. The new campus would have independent structures and blocks such as Administrative Block, Central Library, Language Block, University Health Center, Central Computer Lab, auditorium, separate boys’ and girls’ hostels and staff quarters.
The new campus will come up over 20 acres of land. The university has availed a grant of Rs 27 crore under the RUSA scheme, said sources. The CPWD has undertaken the construction work. for which payment have been released and the CPWD has already started construction work for the new campus. After functioning in the Khallikote Autonomous College campus here for four years, the university was shifted to a rented building at Kanishi on the NH last year. The Government is now bearing monthly rent of Rs 8 lakh.