[Taba Ajum]
JOTE, May 28: The permanent campus of the National Institute of Technology (NIT) here under Sangdupota circle of Papum Pare district remains in dilapidated condition.
Many of the buildings, which are partly constructed, have been left unattended for the last many years. In some cases, though the construction of buildings has been completed, non-occupancy has left the buildings in dire need of repairs.
“The unattended buildings have become a favourite spot for local boys to play PUBG. The internal roads along with streetlights are getting damaged as authorities hardly visit the campus. We have not witnessed any activity in the last four years,” a local resident said.
The NIT is currently operating out of a temporary campus, the Industrial Training Institute (ITI) building, in Yupia since its establishment in July 2010. The work at the permanent campus in Jote under Sangdupota circle of Papum Pare district has stopped for the last three years due to non-release of fund by the ministry of human resources and development (MHRD).
The NIT’s foundation stone at Jote was laid way back in February 2013 by then union HRD minister MM Pallam Raju. The institute was supposed to shift to its permanent campus by 2015.
In January this year, the Union cabinet had approved the revised cost estimates (RCE) for establishment of permanent campuses of new NITs, at a total cost of Rs 4371.90 crore for the period till 2021 – 2022 and the NIT Jote was one of the beneficiaries.
With the approved RCE, the cabinet had announced that these NITs are expected to be fully functional from their respective permanent campuses by 31st March, 2022. It was expected that work at the permanent site would expedite after the announcement of the cabinet.
Earlier this year, the students of NIT had staged a protest at the temporary campus over failure of NIT authorities to shift to the permanent campus at Jote.
The students had expressed anger over non-availability of campus life along with no-progress at the permanent campus. The NIT authorities had assured to shift to the permanent campus phase wise. However, seeing the pathetic condition of the permanent campus site, the assurance seems to be a distant dream.
