SAMBALPUR: The first hostel of Lajpat Rai (LR) Law College is ready since the last six months but building awaits to be handed over to the educational institution.The construction of girls’ hostel, which started in 2015 September, was completed last year in July. Though the hostel building was supposed to be handed over to the college authorities soon after, it has already been delayed by six months.
LR Law College was established in 1965 but it didn’t have any hostels for students. The college has a student strength of 500 out of which 55 per cent are girls. The institute caters to students of various parts of Western Odisha. In absence of hostel facility, many students, especially girls, face a lot of hardship.
In view of the difficulties faced by students, the Western Odisha Development Council (WODC) provided funds in 2015 following which construction work of the hostel was carried out by Public Works Department (PWD) at an estimated cost of `4 crore. The hostel will have a capacity to accommodate 120 boarders.
LR Law College is a constituent of Sambalpur University. “The WODC will first hand over the hostel building to the university which in turn will give it to us. Though WODC has already asked the university to initiate the handover process, the latter is yet to respond,” principal of the college Dr Bijayananda Behera informed.
Furnishing work of the hostel is pending and can only start after the college gets possession of the building. Besides, the hostel does not have any quarters for Superintendent and Warden. The principal urged the authorities of Sambalpur University to take necessary steps in this regard soon. “I have discussed the matter with the WODC Chairman who assured of taking necessary steps to expedite the process. We are hopeful that the hostel will be made operational by July when the next academic session starts,” Behera added.