Government machinery works overtime to finalize IIM on VNIT campus

Nagpur: The government machinery, infamous for its slow pace of working coupled with bureaucracy and red-tapism, prepared the proposal for Indian Institute of Management (IIM) at Nagpur in a record time. A little hard to believe, but the entire process of inspecting and finalizing the makeshift facility to start the prestigious institution was completed within a day on Thursday.Also, a report in this regard was dispatched to the principal secretary of higher and technical education to table it before the cabinet on the same day.
Additionally, the process to finalize 293 acres offered by the Maharashtra Airport Development Corporation (MADC) at Mouza Dahegaon in non-SEZ area of Mihan for setting up IIM’s permanent campus was also completed in a week while the approval letter was dispatched to the principal secretary on Monday.
Sources said it is obvious the work was done under the strict directives from none other than chief minster Devendra Fadnavis. “The CM wanted to bring the prestigious institute to Nagpur after his senior party colleague, union transport minister Nitin Gadkari, brought another equally important institution AIIMS to the city,” they added.
Joint director of technical education in Nagpur Gulab Thakre and collector Abhishek Krishna, along with their team members, put in a lot of effort to ensure that Nagpur bags the IIM. “We all wanted the IIM to be set up only in Nagpur. We worked on war-footing to ensure that Nagpur didn’t lose out to other cities in the race. After getting instructions from the government, we visited VNIT on Thursday. The collector and other members liked the facility,” said sources.
As a result of this team work, Nagpur was the only city to send a complete proposal for land along with makeshift arrangement for housing the IIM. Aurangabad did send a proposal earmarking 200 acres land for the original campus but failed to provide makeshift arrangement. Mumbai and Pune have already expressed inability to allocate 200 acres for the institute.
Thakre made a special mention of chairman of Board of Governors of VNIT, Vishram Jamdar, for his timely help. “When we informed him on the requirement, he immediately extended support, as he too is of the opinion that the city shouldn’t lose out on the golden opportunity,” he said.
Luckily for them, the VNIT had recently constructed new quarters for its faculty with state-of-the-art facilities which would be now used for the IIM. Just after the team led by collector visited VNIT on Thursday, the institute issued its approval letter on the same day while Thakre immediately dispatched a complete proposal in the evening to the government along with maps of the new facility.
Facilities for IIM at VNIT
* Four acres with ready-made facilities on 3,532.90 sq mt area
* As the area is isolated, separate entry can be provided from Mate Square
* Two ready-made buildings (ground + three) with parking floors
* Both the buildings can house faculty quarters, guesthouse and administrative office
* Classrooms for 30 students can be started with minor modification
* Roof can be expanded for converting the area into bigger halls
* Completely covered parking space for faculty and students
* Four temporary halls can be constructed between these two buildings
* Round the clock internet, Wi-Fi and library facilities