Tamil Nadu’s oldest law college in Chennai is expected to get a new campus - within the city itself - as the State government has allocated funds in its 12th Five Year plan for relocating it.
The decision to shift the Tamil Nadu Dr Ambedkar Government Law College adjoining the Madras High Court campus in Parry’s Corner was taken following recommendations by the Justice P Shanmugam Commission.
On November 12 in 2008, two groups of students armed with deadly weapons clashed on the college campus. Shortly thereafter, the government set up a probe panel headed by Justice P Shanmugam to examine the entire gamut of issues surrounding the incident and suggest ways to avoid them in future. One of its recommendations was to relocate the law college.
“Government has accepted the recommendation made in the report of Justice P Shanmugam Commission of Inquiry to shift TN Dr Ambedkar Government Law College, Chennai to a location within the city and open three new Law Colleges in and around the city of Chennai. The estimated outlay for this relocation and construction would be Rs 75 crore (Rs 25 crore per college),” said the State’s 12th Five Year plan (2012-17) document.
So, where will it be relocated? “The legal education department has to take that call. The shifting could take place before the end of the 12th Five Year plan period,” said an official from the State planning commission.
Apart from this, Rs 35.21 crore has been allocated to construct post-graduate library buildings with common reference halls in law colleges and another Rs 1.40 crore for Moot Court halls in all law colleges. In addition, Rs 67.11 crore was allocated to TN Dr Ambedkar Law University in the 12th Five Year plan for purchasing books and journals, to construct a building at 15 acres of land at Perungudi.