BENGALURU: The state government seems to be applying all the pressure tactics on Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS), Bengaluru to get the money transferred from the university account for the construction of new campus at Ramanagara. While it had recently warned the in-charge Vice-Chancellor of strict action in case of failure to implement the government order, the government has now asked to cancel the land sanctioned to the university 10 years ago.
As per the documents available with Express, the file has been forwarded to Deputy Commissioner of Bengaluru Urban for approval via tahsildar. “The land sanctioned to RGUHS has not been development and utilised so far. Three educational institutions have requested for land to set up their institutions. Hence the 50 acres of land allotted to RGUHS near Bheemanakuppe Off Mysore Road can be cancelled and given to others,” the letter read. However, according to RGUHS officials, the university had purchased the land 10 years ago by paying Rs 10,000 per acre to the government. “We did not intentionally delay the construction, they added.
“When H R Bharadwaj was the Governor, ground breaking ceremony took place for the construction of Public Health Institute. But government stopped us that time. They wanted us to complete the Ramanagara project first,” said an official. “Land at Ramanagarawas under litigation and our syndicate had decided
not to transfer the fundsuntil the land was transferred in the university’s name,” added Dr Ramesh, in-charge VC.“After the construction of campus at Ramanagara become a political issue, it was even decided to shift the campus to Bheemanakuppe. But the government did not permit,” said another RGUHS official.
Functioning from rented building since 1999
RGUHS is functioning from a rented building since its establishment in 1999. When the university decided to buy land for the purpose of establishing its own campus in and around Bengaluru, the state government directed RGUHS to establish the campus at Ramnagara district along with a super specialty hospital.
But thanks to the dispute between the land owners /farmers and the university, it did not materialise. Few months back, the government had directed RGUHS to release 1/3rd of the estimated cost of construction of the new campus. But the syndicate took a decision not to transfer the funds as the land was not in the university’s name yet. The decision was communicated to the government and Governor. The latter had asked the varsity to maintain status quo.