Hubballi: Though Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Dharwad will start its academic activities from the first week of August, it is facing another bottleneck over transfer of permanent land allotted to it by the State government.
Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB), which has earmarked the land for the proposed institute, has submitted a proposal to the state government seeking details of the price for transfer of land.
But the Union human resources department has sought the land free of cost, leading to further delay in transfer of land. The KIADB has acquired around 590 acres of land by paying a hefty price to farmers for setting up of industries adjacent to the National Highway, where the permanent campus will be established. Therefore, officials of the board have demanded the cost incurred by it for acquisition of this land.
Meanwhile, the district administration maintained that IIT-Bombay, which is its mentor, will sign a memorandum of understanding with the state government soon on occupying the allotted land earmarked for establishment of the permanent campus that also part of forest land.
“The Union human resource ministry has demanded the land free of cost. But KIADB has opposed the idea as it has paid crores of rupees to farmers to purchase it from them. The issue will be resolved soon by the state and Central government,” assistant commissioner Satish Chandra said.
Meanwhile, deputy commissioner S.B. Bommanahalli said that the renovation work at WALMI building, where the transit campus of IIT-Dharwad will function, will be completed before July 10.
He said that the administration has kept all infrastructure ready with separate laboratories for three streams-computer science, electrical and mechanical engineering.
Stating that the transit campus may be inaugurated on July 31, he said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to be invited for the programme.
He also said that five students from Karnataka have been selected among the total 120 students to be accommodated in the institute.
