Central varsity to start shifting to new campus

Perneet Singh

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Tribune News Service

Bathinda, June 11

Central University of Punjab is all set to partially shift to its newly-constructed campus at Ghudda village here soon. The university has been functioning from its transit campus, which is located on the city’s outskirts, for the last 10 years.

Talking to The Tribune, Vice Chancellor Prof RK Kohli said, “Though the work on the new campus is still underway, some of the buildings have been completed. We have been told that two hostel buildings, one each for boys and girls, some houses and a guest house has been completed. We are taking stock of the facilities at the new campus like drinking water and sewerage treatment plant (STP). We will then start shifting to the new campus, although it will be done in a phased manner, depending on the completion of buildings.” 

He said the completion of hostel buildings had come as a big boost as the existing hostel facilities were packed to capacity. “We have taken a Red Cross building and a hostel of Punjabi University on rent to accommodate our students. In such a scenario, two hostels at our new campus will be of great help to us, particularly at a time when the UGC has given us nine more departments. We are expecting the number of admissions to increase further in the new academic session,” Kohli said. 

The VC expressed hope that they would be able to completely shift to the new campus by the start of the next academic session (2020-21).

Since its inception in 2009, the Central University has been functioning from a makeshift campus on the Bathinda-Mansa road. The ground-breaking ceremony of the Ghudda campus was performed by the then CM Parkash Singh Badal on August 17, 2015. 

As per the extensive plan, apart from the academic block, hostels for students and residential area for the teaching and non-teaching staff members, the main campus will also have a rose garden, a genetic heritage plant, an aviary, nursery, convention centre, athletic track, velodrome, cricket ground, amphitheatre, animal house, a plaza, indoor stadium, health centre, shopping complex and faculty club among other facilities.