By Abdul Basith MA, TwoCircles.net,
Malappuram: With the Kerala Industrial Ministry and Educational Ministry deciding to grant 75 acres of land at Panakkad, Malappuram for the Hyderabad based English and Foreign Language University [EFLU] off-campus, the technical issues which stood as hindrance for starting the construction at the proposed site seems to be solved and the construction works are expected to start within a month. The survey for acquiring the 75 acres land has already started within the 250 acre land under the ownership of Infrastructure Kerala [INKEL].
It was during the previous LDF govt’s rule the then Industrial Ministry granted this land to INKEL. Though the Kerala Govt, by an order could transfer the land directly to EFLU, the registration charges will be very high. So the Industrial Ministry have decided to take back 75 acres of land from INKEL, which it will then transfer to the Educational Ministry’s ownership. The Educational ministry could then easily grant this land to EFLU. The Kerala Industrial Minister PK Kunjalikutty has asked INKEL and the Industrial Ministry officials to complete the land transfer proceedings immediately.
A week ago the joint meeting of Industrial and Educational ministries held at Thiruvananthapuram had decided to grant 100 acres of land but later revised the decision as they felt that, even the main campus at Hyderabad is having only 30 acres of land and so the govt felt that any future land requirements exceeding the 75 acres, can be dealt with then and there. The INKEL Executive Director who visited the place said that they are ready to provide more land in accordance with the future requirements and expansion plans of the EFLU off campus.
In order to speed up the construction activities the Kerala Govt have planned to provide EFLU with the land ownership in advance, even before the registration of the land. This is because the university will be allocated with the central funds for construction works only after the land acquisition and foreseeing these procedural delays the Educational and Industrial Ministry meeting held at Thiruvananthapuram have decided to entitle the University with the land ownership even before land registration.
The proposed campus lacks a road with adequate width as the present two roads, the road which connects to the proposed off campus from Melmuri of the Kozhikode-Palakkad National Highway and the road which extends to the off campus from Karathodu of the Malappuram-Vengara road are a bit narrow taking into consideration the future transportation requirements. Attempts are now being made to build a road with 15 meter width from the Malappuram Kottapadi, Hajiyar Palli region to the proposed site.
In the first week of June an expert committee from the University had visited the proposed site at Panakkad and had mailed a favourable report to the University Vice Chancellor Prof: Sunaina Singh. And it was after this, the VC asked the Kerala govt to immediately transfer land for starting the construction works.
The University have decided to start the construction works immediately after acquiring the land and has discussed this with the Central Public Works Department. UGC has already granted 20 crore rupees to the university for starting the construction activities. The University could submit further proposals before the Central govt for obtaining further funds only after the acquisition of this land. The University has designed a 124 crore worth project for its off campus in Kerala.