CUTTACK: The Ravenshaw University is planning a modern multistoried mall-cum-residential complex on the campus to tide over the acute shortage of accommodation facilities for its faculty as well as provide the best of shopping avenues for students, teachers and staff.
The University authorities are working with the State Government on the issue and are set to approach the Central PSU National Building Construction Corporation (NBCC) for execution of the project.
The University has envisioned a five to six storied complex with the ground floor being entirely dedicated for the mall or shopping segment and the rest of the floors to be developed as residential quarters. It has plans for developing around 50 to 60 quarters in the complex. The quarters would be in the form of three and four BHK apartments and be utilised for accommodating Professors, Assistant Professors and Readers.
The 87 acre main campus of the University houses about 30 departments, 10 hostels and 100 quarters. While the number of quarters fall far short of meeting the requirement considering the faculty strength, a sizable chunk of them too are either dilapidated or in need of repairs.
The Vice Chancellor Basinab Charan Tripathy is keen to go ahead with the project as having all faculty on the campus is essential for a sprightly and thriving academic ambiance in the University. With 30 departments including 20 PG, there are M Phil programmes in 14 departments. Post graduation courses number 23 along with 27 undergraduate honours streams. Besides, there is a continuous addition of self-financed professional courses.
“With lack of adequate accommodation facilities, a substantial chunk of teachers are being forced to commute from Cuttack or Bhubaneswar to the University everyday. As a result, they are not available or are unable to attend to the students beyond classroom hours”, Registrar Dr Smarapriya Mishra said.
Land availability for the project will not be a problem. “We have available spaces at the dilapidated quarters, near the playground, behind hostels that can be utilised for the purpose”, the Registrar said.
The mall or shopping complex would follow contemporary trends and cater to all the needs of the residents of the campus. It is also planned to integrate cafeteria or other recreational avenues.
The University is also pressing for freeing the land under encroachment by the Malgodown traders. It has taken up the matter with the Cuttack district collector. At least 13 acre of the campus is under illegal occupation at the Malgodown side. Attempts by the University to clear the land have not yielded any result.