Khallikote varsity set for major infra upgrade

Berhampur: The five-year-old Khallikote Unitary University (KUU) is set for a major infrastructure upgrade with the govt giving in-principle approval to projects worth Rs 79.29 crore.

The approved projects include a five-storeyed science block (Rs 35.18 crore), flat-type quarters for the vice-chancellor, registrar, controllers of finance and of examinations (Rs 4.57 crore) and three new hostels (Rs 39.59 crore) as old RCM PG hostel will be demolished, sources said.


“The proposals were submitted earlier by the university and the higher education department has now cleared all of them,” Geetanjali Dash, the vice-chancellor of Berhampur University who is also in-charge VC of KUU, said.

“This will give a significant boost to KUU’s campus infrastructure. The new buildings will help address long-pending accommodation needs of officials, science students and hostel inmates,” she added.

As part of the plan, two hostels — 400-seater UG and 400-seater PG facilities costing Rs 19.46 crore and Rs 14.03 crore respectively — and a 50-seater research scholars’ hostel costing Rs 5.25 crore will be built. The existing RCM PG Hostel, declared unsafe by engineers of the works department, will be demolished.

Dash said construction would begin after completion of formalities, including the tender process.

KUU was carved out of the 148-year-old Khallikote Autonomous College after it was upgraded into a unitary university on Aug 1, 2021. The university currently has about 5,500 students across 18 PG departments, 17 UG departments and several self-financing courses.

KUU has been struggling with classroom shortage as many old buildings are in a dilapidated condition. The situation is aggravated by Plus II students of the Khallikote Higher Secondary School, located opposite the university, who continue to hold their theory classes and science practicals on the KUU campus due to lack of space in their own institute.