Artist’s impression of Academic Complex III

An academic complex, a slew of hostels (including one for married students) and an executive guest house are part of an expansion plan of the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta.

The first phase of work on the Joka campus started on October 4, with the foundation stone-laying ceremony of Academic Complex III. Ajit Balakrishnan, the chairman of the institute’s board of governors, attended the programme.

“The Rs-100 crore expansion work is being undertaken in three phases, to end in May 2010,” institute director Shekhar Chaudhuri said at the foundation stone-laying ceremony.

The expansion work will cover around 617,000 sq ft, of which 272,000 sq ft will be developed in the first phase that will continue till May 2009.

The academic complex, coming up in place of the old Kendriya Vidyalaya, will have 14 classrooms, some of which will be modelled on amphitheatres. There will also be eight syndicate rooms.

A students’ hostel across 50,700 sq ft and an executive guest house across 44,700 sq ft (with 10 suites and 65 rooms) will come up in the first phase. An additional 85 rooms will be added to the guest house later.

The second phase of expansion will focus mainly on the teaching and research facilities. Around 70 faculty offices will be built, along with lecture halls and laboratories.

A hostel for married students (25 rooms), a recreational facility with a gymnasium and a swimming pool, a hostel for the Postgraduate Programme for Executives and another students’ hostel comprise the second part of the project.

“The existing swimming pool and gymnasium are being used to their capacity. So, we feel the need for additional recreational centres,” said director Chaudhuri.

In the last phase, research facilities will come up across 45,900 sq ft and an office for the alumni across 3,600 sq ft, among others.