IIT-Gn may get own campus at Palaj soon

Amid growing agitation by the students of Vishwakarma Engineering College (VEC), which is also the temporary premises of the Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar (IIT-Gn), for eviction of IIT-Gn students from VEC campus, the state revenue minister Anandiben Patel today informed the state assembly that an expert committee has zeroed in on Palaj near Gandhinagar for an independent campus for IIT-Gn.

"The expert committee formed for setting up of IIT-Gn campus has set its eye on 385 acres of land in Palaj near Chiloda in Gandhinagar for the campus of the premier technology institute," Anandiben Patel, state revenue minister, today said in the assembly while replying to a question raised by Mahuva MLA Ishvarbhai Vahiya.

Nearly 500 acres of land has been demanded for the establishment of the proposed campus. In fact, Gujarat government had shown various locations to the expert committee including Rancharda, Rakanpur, Sanand, Basan, Firozpur, Kalol and Prantij in Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar and Banaskantha districts.

"In February, Palaj land was suggested. Though the committee showed willingness to accept the land, it is yet to provide an acceptance letter to the department," she stated, adding, "as soon as the committee moves acceptance letter, the suggested land will be allotted." The revenue minister also brushed aside allegation made by Mahuva MLA that the land meant for IIT-G was allotted to Gujarat government's ambitious GIFT city project.

In the absence of its own campus, Gujarat government had offered temporary space to the institute in Vishwakarma Engineering College premises. It may be mentioned here that VEC students have launched agitation demanding ouster of IIT-G students from VEC campus.