Visvesvaraya Technological University strikes gold: VC’s bath fixtures alone cost Rs 40 lakh!
Bengaluru: Gold bathroom fittings for the children's bath, gold German-made bathroom fittings for the guest bath, gold bathroom fittings for the main bathroom, five LED TVs, each worth Rs 4,96,575, five imported window curtains, each worth Rs 4,82,220, three antique copper finish hanging lamps worth Rs 4,57,050 each and one imported brass name plate with a light that costs Rs 1,14,000!
Fittings for a new palace? Not quite. This is meant solely for the Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) Vice Chancellor's bungalow in Belagavi city. According to a complaint lodged by the Private Contractors Association, Belagavi, with Justice Keshava Narayan, chairman, 'One Man Fact Finding Committee', the Visvesvaraya Technological University, VTU VC Dr H. Maheshappa has spent crores on the renovation of the VC's bungalow in Belagavi. Additionally, while awarding the tenders, he has violated the state transparency act in order to benefit a certain couple!
According to the complaint copy, made available to Deccan Chronicle, a total of Rs 4,24,24,258 has been spent on the renovation work of the bungalow. Even after spending such a huge amount, the renovation work is not complete.
According to the complaint, the bungalow was built in 2005 and first occupied in 2006 by the then-VC Dr. K Balaveera Reddy. "Within seven years, the present VC has taken up renovation of the bungalow. Also, a certain couple have allegedly been shown undue favours and were allotted 95 pieces of work, each costing just under Rs 5 lakhs,” alleged the complaint.
