Vadodara: MS University on Monday constituted a high-level committee to discuss the contentious issue of land which the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) has sought from it.
VMC is seeking 9,000 square feet land to create an approach for the Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC) buses passing through ‘Jan Mahal’ – the multi-transport hub which is presently under construction. The land sought is adjacent to the old law faculty building.
The civic body’s proposal has, however, resulted in a major row on the campus which is already facing a space crunch and has lost its precious parcels of land to state government projects in the past. Against the land, MSU has got anything in return.
As the controversy has started blowing out, the university had convened a special syndicate meeting on Monday where the syndicate members appointed a committee. “We will seek clarity from VMC to understand what exactly is their proposal, their plans and what are they offering in exchange. The panel which will meet VMC top brass in next couple of days and submit its report to syndicate members,” said an official.
Before the meeting, Congress leader and senate member Narendra Ravat submitted a memorandum to the syndicate members threatening a stir if the the land is given. “As Vadodara collector in 2015, municipal commissioner Vinod Rao had asked MSU to pay Rs 12 crore when the university had approached the collectorate for construction of mega entrance gate. Why should MSU hand over any parcel of its land which will ultimately benefit only a private developer?,” he said.
The syndicate members are caught in a fix as their earlier decision of parting away with three lakh square feet land to the government for construction of ‘samras’ hostels for free resulted in quite an embarrassment to the university officialdom. The state government had assured that MSU students will get priority in admissions at these hostels and that university too will have say in the process. But the university, which is facing crisis in accommodating students at the Halls of Residence, has received nothing in return from the hostel project.
Rao said that if the land was given to the civic body, the movement of buses would be streamlined in the area. “We have already razed New Belbaug Shopping Centre in the area to clear space for the road,” he said.
Rao added that an early decision in this regard was needed as the adjoining work for the urban transport hub Jan Mahal needed to be brought to a safe level before heavy rains begin. He added that the options of compensating the university with alternative land or transferable floor-space index could be considered.
Fee hike across all faculties
Vadodara: M S University’s syndicate members on Monday approved a proposal to hike fees by Rs 500 across all the faculties of the university. The fees has been hiked under different heads including university development fund among others.
File photo of VMC officials examining the land near old law faculty