In a bid to start new session on permanent campus of Central University of Jharkhand (CUJ) at Kanke block near Ranchi Ring road almost all formalities have been completed to resume the construction work of the campus.
“We are planning to shift by July, 2019 after completing our all basic requirements. The university has hired an agency to prepare a master plan on new rates. First the demarcation of boundaries and then construction work of boundaries will be started. After a little gap constructions of main building will begin,” said CUJ Vice Chancellor, Nand Kumar Yadav ‘Indu’.
The VC said that in 2014 the ongoing construction was prevented after Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filled a chargesheet against 12 contractors under financial irregularities in the work. However, the probe agency did not hand over the documents pertaining to pending dues of contractors, which it had seized during its 2014. Subsequently, the project was put on hold and the CUJ's accounts were freezed, he added.
Yadav further said, “Sometimes earlier in 2017, names of four contractors were removed from the chargesheet. Remaining eight contractors and four officials of the university are still facing trial under the case. The university is trying to clear the dues of four contractors and so that they could start their work. But, the biggest challenge is that the papers are seized by the CBI. Initially, the CBI had informed the university that it would return the documents after we submit an application, which we did. Later it said we should apply to the CBI court. We have recently filed a petition. The agency has started to give us the papers step by step.”
The CUJ VC said that the four contractors’ dues are around Rs 56-60 crore. A total of Rs 626 crore was allocated from 2016-17 to 2020-21for the permanent campus, he added. “Unless we access the seized documents we can’t make payments as UGC has released some funds” Yadav said.
The VC further said, since 2014 the project site has been deserted and there was no boundary. The buildings were not handed over by the contractors to the university, he added.
“To complete construction work in a hassle-free manner we have already given a list of land users to concerned authorities of the government after identification of the land such as which land falls under which category,” he added.
Yadav said that the need of a permanent campus was a big restraint to development of the university. “We looking forward to introduce new courses, but due to scarcity of space we can’t do it. In the present campus, most of buildings are in dilapidated condition and they need repair works,” he signed off.