Patna: The Saidpur campus of Patna University, infamous for illegal occupants in the hostel block, will be developed as the South Campus of the varsity.

Patna University, on the high court directive, is building a boundary wall on three sides of the 34-acre campus. Once that is complete, the northern side will be taken up.

The university administration at the same time has allotted land on the Saidpur campus to six educational institutions. The colleges and departments functioning from Patna University which will be shifted to Saidpur are the Vanijya Mahavidyalaya, directorate of distance education, applied economics and commerce, management department, and academic staff college building.

"While on one hand, the boundary wall of the Saidpur campus is being built, on the other, we have allotted land there to different departments and colleges," said N.K. Jha, dean, students' welfare, Patna University. "Many colleges and departments have prepared the detailed project report (DPR) of the building. Based on the DPR of different departments, the Bihar Education Infrastructure Development Corporation will carry out the construction work."

The university administration expects that the construction work of the new educational block will be complete in two years. Apart from shifting of educational institutions from Patna University, the new campus will also have a multipurpose conference hall with a seating capacity of 2,000 people. The biggest beneficiary of the campus and hostel renovation will be the students.

Hostel blocks 3, 6 and 9 of a total of 12 blocks on the Saidpur campus are dilapidated. "Based on the Patna High Court directive, all dilapidated hostel blocks will be demolished and hostel numbers 3, 6 and 9 renovated," said Jha.

Renovation work will also be carried out at Ambedkar hostel, which too is located on the Saidpur campus. The hostel, which is meant for Scheduled Caste (SC) students, is in a shambles.

Students are happy with the ongoing hostel renovation work.

Chandan Rajak, a boarder, said: "The Ambedkar hostel where we live is in bad shape because of maintenance negligence. Poor upkeep of the hostel has led to the roof and walls being in dilapidated condition. During monsoon, water seeps from the roof into the electrical wiring, posing threat to the hostel inmates."

The students are also happy that after years of neglect, the Saidpur campus will get a facelift.

In 2015, based on a high court directive, illegal occupants were evicted from Saidpur hostel after more than eight years of efforts by the district and university administration.

The Saidpur hostel was built in the early-1970s and its boarders often clash with local residents.