Sambalpur, March 31: Association of teachers, students and alumni of University College of Engineering (UCE), Burla, have reiterated their demand for an IIT in Burla after Orissa received the Centre nod for the tech hub.

“Burla is the most suitable place for an IIT, if one takes into account the infrastructure available, the pool of industries around and the proximity of the Hirakud Dam,” said a UCE, Burla, teacher, while addressing the media today.

On Monday, the three concerned groups — teachers, students and alumni rooting for UCE, Burla’s, IIT status, — would meet the chief minister for a discussion.

Also, minister Chandra Sekhar Sahu has reportedly assured the alumni of taking up the matter with the Prime Minister soon.

The three groups (students, teachers and alumni) have been demanding for the up-gradation of UCE, Burla, since 2003.

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik, in 2003, had recommended the same to the Union ministry of human resources development and the plan received a nod.

But, with a change of government at the Centre, the proposal couldn’t materialise, recalled P.C. Tripathy and Er. Ashes Padhi, the president and secretary, respectively, of UCE, Burla’s, alumni association.

The Burla well-wishers further argue that coastal Orissa has its fair share of centrally-funded institutes — NISER, IIIT, RRL and Institute of Physics.