The ministry of human resources development (MHRD) has directed the J&K government to provide alternate land for construction of the permanent campus of Central University of Kashmir (CUK).
The development comes at a time when the J&K government has already missed several deadlines to complete the construction of the campus at the proposed site in Ganderbal district.
“The MHRD has asked the J&K government for providing alternate land for construction of campus and government has been asked to stop all the construction activities on the campus as well,” the government revealed in the Lower House in reply to a cut motion moved by MLA Ganderbal Sheikh Abdul Jabbar.
It may be recalled that for more than seven years now, the CUK is functioning from rented accommodations at three temporary places. At the proposed site of the university campus at Tulmulla in Ganderbal district, the construction of the building has faced roadblocks resulting in inordinate delay.
“MHRD has directed us not to continue construction work till the visit of the project monitoring unit of MHRD to the site,” the government documents have revealed.
The directions have been given at a time when the University has already constructed pre-engineered buildings in phase I and II.
“The project monitoring cell of the University, NBCC and University construction wing has succeeded in making headway in respect of pre-engineered buildings in phase I and II. The single storey buildings are expected to be handed over to the University by March 2018,” the government documents reveal.
The documents also reveal that the University has also made some progress in the grading and the road construction at the areas which are available without hindrances.
“With the handing over of the buildings in March 2018, the University expects to shift some of the departments to the designated site,” the official documents say.
The government document has attributed the delay in completion of the buildings to the interference and hindrances created by local villagers, demanding government jobs.
“Hindrance in transportation of construction material through nearby villages till recent past have also caused delay in construction work,” the government in its reply to cut motion said.
“The construction was also delayed due to low load bearing capacity of land, which required deep pile foundation with high foundation cost.”
The government said the quality of land forces the University to fill the site with good earth for land development.