Main blocks of horticulture varsity to come up in Karnal

Parveen Arora

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Karnal, November 23

With the finalisation of the executing agency and transfer of 65 acres near the new bus stand for the construction of Maharana Pratap Horticulture University (MHU), the main blocks, including administrative and teaching along with hostels of the MHU, is to be constructed now in Karnal city instead of earlier proposed Anjanthali village.

Its detailed project report has been approved by the government, said an official of the MHU.

The university was to be constructed at Anjanthali village in the district on 118 acres. Former Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh and Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had laid the foundation stone on April 6, 2016. The project had witnessed several hiccups earlier. A boundary wall of 118 acres along with various laboratories have already been constructed here, while the work on office building-cum-teaching block and hostels is under way. As much as Rs 10 crore has been spent on it.

At present, 187 students of BSc (Hons) horticulture of all four years are being taught at Anjanthali, while the classes of 30 students of PG courses and 10 of PhD are being conducted at the HAU, Hisar. From this session, the seats of BSc (Hons) have been increased to 120 from 30. The first batch of BSc (Hons) is going to pass out in August 2024, while two batches of master degrees have already passed out.

After the decision of shifting the main blocks of the university near the new bus stand, 45 acres from the Anjathali project has been transferred to Haryana Agriculture University (HAU) Regional Station, Uchani, for establishing a research farm of the HAU. In the remaining 73 acres at Anjathali, a research farm-cum- farmers training course centre of Horticulture University is being developed, said an official.

“The government has finalised the executing agency for constructing the administrative-cum-academic block, library, auditorium, guest house, hostels for boys and girls, and other buildings at an estimated cost of Rs 400 crore. After the allotment of work, the agency has to construct the project in 30 months,” said Dr Ajay Singh Yadav, Registrar of the MHU, Karnal.

He claimed that it was the first Horticulture University of the state which aimed at imparting quality education, conducting research and extension activities in the field of horticulture and allied sciences.

Five research centres of the university are being run at Murthal in Sonepat, Raiya in Jhajjar, Badhana in Jind, Chandsoli in Ambala, and Kharkari in Bhiwani, he added.