An endless maze of 88 classrooms? A heritage building with posh interiors for the Prime Minister? A mammoth Hall with 1500 single rooms? What’s all the noise about?
The Scholars’ Avenue had a chance to catch up with officials at the Civil Works Department, who updated us on the status of the various construction projects happening around us.
Student Activity Centre
- The entire construction of the SAC complex is over; finishing work is in progress.
- Gymnasium is up and running, rooms for Springfest and Kshitij teams are functional.
- Squash court requires a maple wood finish, rubber surfaces need to be fixed on badminton courts.
- Work is expected to be complete by the end of August, well in time before the Inter-IIT meet.
Basketball Courts, Swimming Pool
- Facelift in progress at basketball court, volleyball court, Gnan Ghosh stadium and swimming pool .
- Will be ready in time for the Inter IIT Sports Meet.
Nalanda Complex
- Two blocks of the complex are ready.
- Thirty classrooms, planned in Slot 1, will be ready for usage in a couple of months.
- Sixty classrooms are expected to be completed by December; a total of eighty-eight classrooms planned.
- Some classrooms have been designed in semi-circular fashion; others will be rectangular in shape.
- New features include laptop connections provided below each seat.
- Sample study to be conducted in end-August, based on which further plan and design of the classrooms in the complex will be carried out.
- Since the Nalanda Complex is not a part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations, work has been temporarily de-prioritized causing a slight delay.
First Year Laboratory Complex
- Physics and Basic Electronics Labs are ready; only transfer of equipment from the older labs to new location remains.
- Finishing work in Language and Electrical labs is expected to be complete by September.
Tagore Open Air Theatre
- Renovation is complete – TOAT has been given a new lease of life.
- Freshly renovated green rooms, toilets, extensive electrical wiring and waterproofing.
- TOAT should comfortably handle crowds for the next 20-25 years atleast.
Lal Bahadur Shastri Hall of Residence
- 140 rooms of LBS are ready, with postgraduate students programme currently accommodated.
- Remaining work expected to be complete by the end of the year, including 667 rooms for residential purposes and a few special rooms like a yoga room etc.
- All rooms will be allotted on a triple sharing basis.
B R Ambedkar Hall of Residence
- Part of BRH will be completed in coming months; students might be accommodated by December 2011.
- BRH will have all single rooms, instead of the triple rooms that LBS has.
- With approximately 1500 rooms, hall is expected to be completed by June 2012.
Chanakya Hall of Residence
- Construction work is yet to start at this hostel for VGSOM students.
- Soil testing and other groundwork has been completed and approved
- Hall will be built on a BOT (Build Operate Transfer) basis.
VVIP Guest House
- Located next to Kendriya Vidyalaya, a heritage building is being converted to a VVIP Guest House.
- The Guest House will have six plush executive rooms and a lobby
- The Prime Minister will be the first person to reside in the new facility.
Calcutta Guest House
- IIT Kharagpur’s guest house in Salt Lake, Kolkata is being renovated .
- From ten rooms earlier, it now has sixteen rooms with additional dormitories on the top floor.
- The facility is also a tiny educational centre, with some classes on short term courses held there.
- The Guest House will accommodate members of the Prime Minister’s contingent.
