Ranchi: Work on a permanent campus of Jharkhand Raksha Shakti University (JRSU), whose foundation stone was laid on November 12 in the run-up to Statehood Day celebrations, is expected to commence from early next year.

Of the 234 acres notified in Khunti for Knowledge City, 75 acres have been allotted to JRSU. Funds to the tune of Rs 206.54 crore have been approved.

"The land is free of any incumbrance," said Jaldhar Mandal, one of the chief engineers of Jharkhand State Building Corporation under the state building construction department that has been assigned the job of implementing the project.

Mandal said they were waiting for a formal sanction of a work order after which they would commence with tenders.

"By end of this month, we should be able to ready tendering papers. We are waiting for formal administrative orders. Once that arrives, we will take structural designs and detailed project report of the varsity's permanent campus from architects to plan further," he said.

While the tenders would be floated for the entire project, work would be conducted in phases.

"In the first phase, we will build a part of the administrative building, hostels, classrooms and other facilities needed on priority to make the campus functional. The rest will be taken up in other phases," he said, adding that they would try to complete the project in two and a half years.

Once ready, the campus is expected to host 3,000 students. Currently, JSRU is functioning out of a rented accommodation at the old Judicial academy building near ATI opposite Suchana Bhavan on Kanke Road. As many as 220 students are currently pursuing various undergraduate, postgraduate and diploma programmes in criminology, industrial security, etc.

JSRU's registrar M.K. Jamuar, however, revealed that they were also exploring an alternative location to expand their operations.

"Chief minister Raghubar Das has asked us to induct 1,000 students now. So, we have already started to look for alternate space. The government is looking for some space at the main administrative building at the mega sports complex in Hotwar. But the complex is under Jharkhand State Sports Promotion Society (JSSPS), a joint venture between the state and Central Coalfields (CCL). Let's see what happens," he said.