In its endeavour to make the campus vehicle-free zone, authorities at Kashmir University (KU) have restricted parking of vehicles in the varsity.
The order in this regardhas been issued by Registrar Kashmir University in view of National Assessmentand Accreditation Council (NAAC) inspection of the varsity from Wednesday.Teachers and students have hailed the initiative and want it to be implementedin letter and spirit.
As per the order, thevarsity administration has designated parking places at Sir Syed Gate, ConvocationComplex, Rumi Gate and Zainul Abidin gate. The order came into effect from May1.
“In no case shall anyonepark his vehicle at any locations other than designated parking places,” readsthe KU order. The teaching and non-teaching faculty has termed the move asenvironment friendly citing that it will reduce chances of in-campus accidents.”It is a good decision and will enable greater socialising between employeeswho will have to walk or ferried in varsity buses to their departments,” said aKU faculty member. The stakeholders wantthe practice to continue beyond NAAC visit.
As perthe order, the VVIP gate near convocation complex shall remain open tofacilitate entry of exit of staff vehicles parked near the complex.
“Bicycles and batteriesoperated vehicles and University passenger buses will be kept available at maingate to facilitate ferrying of students, staff and other visitors to respectivedestinations within the campus,” reads the order.
President KashmirUniversity Teachers Association (KUTA) Prof Muheet said they have alreadyconvened several meetings with the university administration regarding theissue and proposed to make KU a green campus.
“This initiative is a partof that proposal, we are working out modalities to use the all parking placesof the varsity so that no vehicle remains parked on roads within the campus,”Prof Muheet said.
He said the varsity has nodearth of parking places but the space needs to be regulated which, he said,can be done with the cooperation from teachers and students in the University.
The NAAC peer team whichhas arrived on Wednesday is scheduled to inspect the KU campus to assess itsinfrastructural and academic standards on basis of which the NAAC accreditationof the varsity will be renewed.
Earlier in 2012 KU wasgiven ‘A’ rank by NAAC peer team after they visited the varsity. Theaccreditation expired in May 2016. NAAC is an organization that assesses andaccredits higher education institutions in India. It was formed afterrecommendations from National Policy on education (1986), which laid emphasison upholding the quality of higher education in India. An institutionaccredited by NAAC signifies that it has met certain standards of excellenceacross its operations. Apart from making educational institution eligible togrants from government of India there are major benefits for students as well.