Cuttack, March 29: Work on the proposed second campus of Ravenshaw University has not yet started though more than two years have lapsed since the land was allotted at Naraj.

The present campus at College Square, which spreads over 100 acres, is now overcrowded, as the student population has crossed 7,000. The Ravenshaw Junior College also functions from here.

Though construction of the new campus was earlier supposed to be completed by 2017, the foundation stone has not been laid yet.

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik had been invited to do the honours on Ravenshaw’s foundation day on November 15 last year. However, the programme was later cancelled.

Besides, varsity authorities are yet to take measures to construct a boundary wall at the project site.

So far, only 126 out of 141 acres at Brajabiharipur Mauza in Athgarh tehsil have been allotted for the second campus.

However, authorities are hopeful of a positive outcome, after the issue was discussed with revenue divisional commissioner (RDC) Arabinda Padhee today.

“The RDC has promised to take urgent steps to speed up the process in allotting land to the university,” said vice-chancellor B.C. Tripathy. He said there was a plot of nearly eight acres owned by the CDA that fell in the middle of the acquired land.

“The Cuttack Development Authority (CDA) has not transferred the land to the government. We have already requested them, but they are asking for payment to buy land elsewhere in lieu of the eight-acre plot,” he said.

Also, there are encroachments on another seven acres.

“The RDC has promised to resolve the issues and the matter will be discussed with chief secretary B.K. Patnaik. The Athgarh tehsildar has been asked to identify another plot that can be provided to the CDA to compensate for the eight acres needed for the second campus,” Tripathy said.

Varsity authorities said the state government had also not provided funds for the second campus yet. “We will begin the construction of the boundary wall as soon as we get the funds. We will again request the chief minister to lay the foundation stone,” Tripathy said.

Ravenshaw University got deemed university status on November 15, 2006, and offers graduate and masters degree in 25 subjects and MPhil in 16 other disciplines.