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₹350cr sanctioned for Central University of Himachal Pradesh campus, work likely to begin soon: Official
The project to set up permanent campus of the CUHP has been hanging fire for more than nine years
Work on building a permanent campus of Central University of Himachal Pradesh (CUHP) is likely to take off soon as the Union ministry of human resource development (MHRD) has approved the 1st phase of the project and sanctioned ₹350 crore for construction work.
The project to set up permanent campus of the CUHP has been hanging fire for more than nine years.
“MHRD has approved the detailed project report (DPR) of the 1st phase of the CUHP campus and has sanctioned ₹350 crore for construction work,” said CUHP vice-chancellor Kuldip Chand Agnihotri.
The process of awarding tenders will take place soon and construction work is likely begin within two-three months, he added.
He said the construction work will be carried out simultaneously at Dharamshala and Dehra sites.
“We have urged the ministry for more funds for the 1st phase due to high cost of construction in the hill areas. Also, the cost is likely to escalate as all the buildings must be earthquake resistant as entire Himachal, including Kangra falls in high seismic zone,” he said.
The CUHP campus is proposed to come up at two places—Dehra and Jadrangal near Dharamshala. The university presently functions from three temporary campuses at Dharamshala, Shahpur and Dehra.
Government has earmarked 80-acre of land for CUHP campus at Dehra and 500-acre at Dharamshala.
Though, Dehra land has already been transferred in the name of CUHP, the forest clearance for 90% of Dharamshala land is still awaited. Only 50-acre of non-forest land at Dharamshala has been transferred to the university, so far.
Announced in 2007, CUHP became functional with the assumption of charge by the first vice-chancellor on January 20, 2010.
However, the project was mired in politicking causing a delay in setting up its campus.
The then BJP government proposed two campuses for CUHP with major portion at Dehra. About 66 hectares land was given for the CUHP campus at Dharamsala and 300 hectares in Dehra.
The BJP was thrown out of power in 2012 and Congress government reversed the proposal identifying around 380 acres of additional land at Indrunag near Dharamsala for the institution.
The ministry rejected the site as it found the land unfit for construction due to its location in the active sliding zone, forcing the government to repeat the exercise to find suitable land.
New land was identified at Jadrangal, about 15km from Dharamshala, and fresh proposal was sent to the Centre. However, the BJP was voted to power in 2017 and foundation stone of CUHP was laid at Dehra and Dharamshala in February this year.
