PANJIM: The National Institute of Technology (NIT) that aims to shift to its new permanent campus at Cuncolim by July 2021, is the first institute in the State to ‘go green’ and ‘fully solar-powered’. Trash free-‘campus, plantation of trees, maintaining the flora and fauna of the area, are some of the crucial initiative that NIT Goa would be adopting at its campus.
The foundation stone for the 124-acre permanent campus of NIT Goa was laid in December 2018 by then chief minister late Manohar Parrikar in presence of Union Minister for Human Resource Development Prakash Javadekar. NIT-Goa currently operates from a temporary campus at Farmagudi.
Addressing media persons, NIT Goa Director Gopal Mugeraya said that nearly 60 percent of boundary wall construction has been completed in the permanent site of NIT-Goa. “We have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Central Public Works Department for major construction work. The first phase of the project is estimated at Rs 396 crore,” he said.
“We intend to inaugurate and shift to the permanent campus by July 2021,” Mugeraya said adding that while undertaking construction work, ‘go green’ initiative will be adopted where no wild trees would be cut and also the flora and fauna of the area would be preserved.
The director said that pre-cast technology would be adopted for construction purpose. “To expedite work, pre-fabricated RCC blocks will be used to construct the building. The decision was taken keeping in mind Goa’s weather and lack of provision for long term maintenance,” he said.
Mugeraya said that to make the campus a green one, we want to plant trees double the number of students. “Also, within the campus we would set up solar energy plant, which will generate nearly two-three megawatts of power, which would be enough to meet the entire power requirement of the campus,” he said.
The project includes 90 smart class rooms with various sitting capacity, a thousand-odd sitting capacity auditorium, five independent departments, facilities for faculty and non teaching staff, hostel for students, etc.
“Once the permanent campus is in place, NIT Goa intends to increase its under graduate and post graduate seats,” he said.
Mugeraya was speaking while announcing the fifth Convocation of NIT Goa to be held on September 28. The Institute will offer degrees to 111 students that is 69 B Tech, 39 M Tech and three Ph D. Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant will be the chief guest. “Despite its limited infrastructure and having no permanent campus, the institute has achieved 87th rank in NIRF ranking,” he said.
He said that over 94% of UG students have been placed in various well-known companies with a maximum pay package of 12 lakh and an average package of 6.42 lakh per annum. Same is in case of PG students.
