Badlands hold up expansion plans of IITs, IIMs in Karnataka

BANGALORE: When the premier Indian Institute of Management-Bangalore asked the Karnataka government for a slab of land to set up its second campus, the government offered 110 acres in Anekal taluk. But a land survey showed quarrying work going on at the proposed site, and IIM-B informed the government that construction of a new campus there was impossible.
Three years on, IIM-B is yet to get possession of alternative land. Though another 110 acres in the same area was allotted, the revenue department hasn't handed it over to the institute.
IIM-B is not an exception. At a recent meeting of state secretaries in New Delhi, premier institutes including IIMs, IITs, IIITs and NITs told the Centre that across the country, expansion of campuses of these institutes is slow as land acquisition is a major factor.
The government of Madhya Pradesh allotted 501.42 acres of land to IIT Indore to set up a permanent campus. Of this, 200 acres is yet to be officially handed over by the forest department. IIT-Bhubaneswar is identifying 100 acres of land in Puri district for compensatory afforestation for forest land diversion.
IIT-Gandhinagar was given 200 acres of land. Of this, a substantial part is unsuitable for construction as it's full of deep ravines. This has put severe restriction on expansion of plans and the institute has asked the Gujarat government for additional land. All the new eight IITs are working from temporary campuses, while the construction of permanent campuses for five of them is underway.
Of the seven new IIMs, IIM-Rohtak is awaiting environmental clearance from the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority. It's just received the change of land use certificate for commercial purpose. "The master plan is ready. Some construction companies have been short-listed. We expect construction work to start in a month or two," said P Rameshan, director, IIM-Rohtak.
"It's important for us to expand. There is pressure to increase the strength of the classes. Accordingly, we have to increase facilities as well. At the moment, e-PGP students are staying outside the campus. We need a bigger auditorium. These are a few of our immediate concerns," said Col (retd) Raghbir Singh, chief administrative officer, IIM-B.
The allotted land for IIM-Udaipur has taken a legal turn. IIIT-Kottayam has finalized the land parcel, but acquisition is taking more than a year. Despite allotment, physical transfer of land has not yet happened for three NITs. For NIT-Delhi, the Delhi government paid Rs 158 crore to Delhi Development Authority (DDA) for transfer of land at Narela. However, DDA is now demanding Rs 18 crore towards interest due to late payment.
NIT Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram also have issues with approach road and electricity and water connections, which is holding up construction activity. The government of Goa hasn't transferred land as it's been asking for 50% domicile reservation in its NIT.
SMALL AND CREATIVE CAMPUSES
Spacious campuses can be built on 20 acres by going up 5 or 6 floors, but it must be planned well. Look at good schools in Bangalore. The hostel can be nearby and run in an outsourced manner. Many public institutes -- CSIR Labs, BHEL, SAIL, NTPC, DRDO and old government institutes like universities, agriculture and engineering colleges, ITI, polytechnics -- have campuses with over 100 acres which are unused or underutilized. We should use them. In short, think of the effective use of small campuses and reusing existing campuses.
Prof S Sadagopan | director, IIIT-B
TIMES VIEW
It's a shame that our governments dole out unsuitable land for premier institutes like IIMs and IITs, instead of providing infrastructure. The delay in setting up these institutes of excellence will only affect young students. In contrast, the authorities often go all out to ensure that builders and industrialists get the land they demand, at times acquiring fertile land from farmers to suit these lobbies. The government should set aside parcels of land on the outskirts for such institutions, and also ensure facilities like power, water and connectivity, in the best interests of society.