SAMBALPUR: Claiming a shortage of funds, the executing agency has stalled the work on the permanent campus of Odisha State Open University (OSOU) at Badsinghari on the outskirts of Sambalpur city. While the permanent campus has already missed its completion deadline last year, Odisha State Police Housing and Welfare Corporation (OPHWC) is now asking for additional funds to execute the work.
Sources said work on the campus started with the construction of a boundary wall around 40 acres of land in 2020. Since the World Bank had sanctioned around Rs 15 crore to OSOU for the purpose, the university authorities decided to construct the boundary wall and administrative building in the first phase.
The work was initially started by the Public Works Department (PWD but later handed over to OPHWC. While major works on the campus are yet to be completed, the OPHWC has cited a shortage of funds to be the cause of the delay.
Vice-chancellor (VC) of OSOU Arka Kumar Das Mohapatra said a target was set to complete the first phase of work by June last year. OPHWC had assured of completing the work in three months after the missing the deadline. It has been close to a year now but the corporation is yet to complete the work.
“To my shock, only the administrative building and boundary wall has been constructed so far. OPHWC recently informed us that some of the basic components like portico, drainage system, main gate and approach road were not part of the detailed project report (DPR). The corporation now says it has exhausted all the funds and needs additional grant to execute the remaining work,” said the VC.
Official sources said the OPHWC wanted another Rs 3.44 crore to complete the remaining work. After the corporation said it has only Rs 60 lakh left from the previous grant, the VC on March 6 this year wrote a letter to the Higher Education department requesting for sanction of Rs 2.84 crore.The additional fund was sanctioned within 15 days. However, the OPHWC again asked for another Rs 60 lakh to complete work.
The VC said, “It is unprofessional on the part of OPHWC to misguide us. I have written to the state government again for additional Rs 60 lakh. However, I am yet receive any response. We were planning to inaugurate the new campus in June. Now, we will have to postpone it further as the executing agency has sought another four months time to complete the project.”