Cradles inch towards campus - Boundary comes up around plots of IIM, law varsity

Security personnel on guard at one of the Kanke sites on Monday. Picture by Hardeep Singh

Ranchi, Jan. 9: A permanent campus seemed that much more real for Indian Institute of Management (IIM)-Ranchi and National University for Study and Research in Law (NUSRL) today as the district administration began constructing boundary walls around the plots earmarked for the purpose near the capital.

Both institutes are in their second year of existence and have been waiting long to get possession of land to build permanent infrastructure. At present, IIM-Ranchi functions out of space provided by the state information and public relations department, while NUSRL manages to operate from four rooms provided by BIT-Mesra.

While IIM-Ranchi has been given over 76 acres in Kanke, on the outskirts of the capital, NUSRL has got 63 acres in the same area. IIM-Ranchi aims to invest a whopping Rs 500 crore to Rs 800 crore to set up “world class” infrastructure and NUSRL is expected to part with about Rs 200 crore for its permanent facility.

“We have started erecting the boundary walls for IIM and NUSRL. We expected protest from villagers, but nothing happened. About 250 policemen were deputed to keep trouble-makers at bay,” Ranchi sub-divisional officer Shekhar Jamuar told The Telegraph.

Villagers had earlier protested against pending and poor compensation for land taken in the 1950s from them and which has now been allotted to NUSRL.

Expectedly, authorities of both institutes are happy with the developments.

Speaking to The Telegraph, IIM-Ranchi director M.J. Xavier said today’s development was a welcome step for they had been waiting to get possession of the land for quite some time.

“Our board meeting is to take place on January 30 in Delhi where we will decide about the mode of development and construction of the campus. We have been promised about Rs 500 crore from the Union ministry of human resource development for the purpose,” Xavier said.

The authorities are mulling three options — inviting tenders and roping in architects and builders, engaging a project contractor who would appoint an architect and builder or engaging a well-known construction major to execute the project on a design, build and maintain (initially for five years) mode.

Xavier added they aimed to build over 10 lakh square feet area, where the focus would be on vertical structures rather than horizontal, to allow more green space. The thrust will also be on energy efficiency.

NUSRL vice chancellor A.K. Koul also welcomed the developments. “We have virtually nothing we can call infrastructure. Now the things will move in right earnest,” he said.

NUSRL has already employed Delhi-based architects, Step, to prepare a detailed project report. The authorities are interested in employing Central Public Works Department for the construction.

However, a funds crunch may come in the way of setting up good infrastructure for NUSRL. “We have been allotted Rs 50 crore by the state government for setting up infrastructure. However, that is not adequate. We require at least Rs 200 crore,” a senior faculty said.