Aabid Hussain in Budgam
Despite having acquired 104 Kanals of land approximately in Patwav Budgam about 3 years ago for the purpose of constructing satellite campus for Moulana Azad National Urdu University, nothing has come up at the campus site beyond the traces of foundation stone.
The foundation stone of the campus was laid by the then chief minister Omar Abdullah on May 28 in 2013; however, since then no construction has taken place at the site.
“Almost 15 lacs were spent at the inaugural ceremony and it was promised that the university will be completed with 3 years time,” an official of the University told Kashmir Life, “But since then no construction has taken place.”
The ruins of the foundation stone
A local informed Kashmir Life that no one either from the administration or the government visited the site since its foundation. “Even the Vice Chancellor visited the campus after five years of its inauguration, and since then didn’t even pay a single visit till he retired.”
The officials, who pleaded anonymity, informed that the funds for the construction of the campus have also lapsed.
The foundation lying ceremony had sent excitements across the locals who believed that the university would be made functional within a year.
Having such a huge university campus within our vicinity had raised our hopes of receiving quality education, said a local student.
“While the literacy rate in Budgam is low, the campus would have raised hopes within the community.
“We donated the land for the university and we never demanded anything for this thinking the university will boost education to this educationally backward district,” said another local.
The local lawmaker has laid blame on the ruling party of dilly-dallying the construction of the campus.
Aga Syed Roohulla, who represents Budgam assembly constituency said that all the formalities for the university campus were completed during their governments tenure. However, he said that it was due to the present dispensation that the university is not being completed.
The incumbent Vice chancellor of the university, Dr Muhammad Pervez assured that the construction of campus will start soon.
Parvaiz said, “The delay in starting the construction at the site was due to some procedural issues which have now been resolved.”
“In the first phase we will be constructing the boundary wall with a gate and a guardroom. The cost of the first phase of the project would be over Rs 3 Cr,” he said.
He said, “The Budgam campus has been listed on the agenda of the Executive Committee of MANUU which is scheduled to meet on March 18. Earlier the subject had been cleared by the Building Committee and Finance Committee of the University. The University intends to work out plans to expand the presence of MANUU in the entire region of Jammu and Kashmir,” he assured.
