Skill development centre in junior college opposed

Hyderabad: The Telangana state government has accorded permission for a skill development centre in the premises of the Government Junior College, Chanchalguda, with funds coming from Constituency Development Programme (CDP) of Malakpet MLA Ahmed Balala.

However, the proposal is running into rough weather as several people are raising against further constructions, citing that it will lose its vast open land, while students of the degree college said that instead of constructing a building for degree college, the government is constructing a building for a skill development centre that will have a commercial complex.

Mr Balala had sent a proposal on May 21 last year for the construction of a three-floor commercial complex along with a skill development centre. Based on the proposal, the government has given the nod and issued a memo on December 11, 2019.

Accordingly, the commissioner of intermediate education Mr Omer Jaleel addressed a letter to chief engineer Telangana state education welfare infrastructure development corporation urging him to prepare a detailed estimate along with the blueprint.

The premises, spread over three acres, houses the junior college, degree college,  high school, primary school, Kamela Qadeem, Bhavita Centre for Disabled and two offices of deputy inspector of schools for Charminar I & II and that of the deputy educational officer, Charminar.

About 800 students are studying in English and Urdu media in the junior college while about 700 students are enrolled in English and Telugu media in the degree college.

Local people opposed the construction of buildings in the premises as it will occupy the open land which is used for not only sports activities, but also for conducting public meetings in the nights. They argued that a bare minimum of grounds are left in the Old City. The proposed construction will deny them yet another playground.

Mr Junaid Khan said the indoor stadium was constructed on Moghalpura ground and Khilwat ground was shrunk due to road widening.

A student of degree college, Mr Mohammed Saleem said the college is functioning from the building constructed for the school. The government had sanctioned Rs 5 crore in 2017-18 for the degree college but the funds have not yet been released.

He said that instead of constructing a skill development centre, the government should construct a building for the degree college.