Anurag Thakur reviews progress of Central varsity’s Dehra campus

Hamirpur MP Anurag Singh Thakur on Sunday visited the Dehra campus of the Central University of Himachal Pradesh (CUHP) to review the progress of ongoing construction works and assess the preparedness of the permanent campus for the upcoming academic sessions. He was accompanied by Vice Chancellor Prof Sat Prakash Bansal, senior university officials, representatives of the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) and officers of the state government.

During the inspection, Thakur expressed satisfaction over both the pace and quality of construction and said the project had gathered significant momentum since his last visit. He noted that a majority of the academic and residential buildings were now substantially complete and close to being ready for occupation, describing the progress as a major milestone in the long-pending development of the university’s permanent campus.

Briefing the MP, Prof Bansal said academic activities were planned to commence in the newly constructed buildings from the next academic session. He added that the administrative block would also be shifted to the Dehra campus shortly, which would be a crucial step towards the full operationalisation of the permanent campus.

The Vice Chancellor said despite operating from a temporary campus, the CUHP had established itself among leading central universities through sustained academic initiatives, research output and student-centric programmes. He underlined that the university had effectively aligned its academic framework with the National Education Policy (NEP) and said the availability of a fully developed permanent campus would further accelerate institutional growth and strengthen its contribution to higher education and research.

Senior CPWD officials and state government representatives briefed Thakur on the status of construction works, timelines and site-related challenges. The CPWD said the campus would be handed over in a phased manner between March and June 2026.

During the review, it was pointed out that while the state government had sanctioned the water supply scheme for the campus, financial approval for the electricity supply scheme, estimated at around Rs 10 crore, was still pending. Officials stressed that uninterrupted electricity and water supply were essential for the campus to function fully.

Taking serious note of the delay, Thakur said the provision of electricity and water fell within the state government’s purview. He directed the Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC), Kangra, to expedite the electricity supply process and submit a detailed status report within a week. He also asked officials to examine the feasibility of providing a temporary electricity connection to enable partial academic operations at the earliest.

The MP further directed the Jal Shakti Department to ensure completion of the water supply scheme by June 2026 and emphasised close coordination between Central and state agencies to prevent procedural delays.

Reiterating the Government of India’s commitment to strengthening higher education infrastructure in Himachal Pradesh, Thakur assured all possible support to ensure that the Dehra campus becomes fully functional at the earliest.