UVCE set for big overhaul in centenary year

 The University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering (UVCE) is set to undergo major renovation in its centenary. With the state government allocating Rs 25 crore to the college in the 2017-18 budget, the premier institution plans to spend it on rebuilding the Mechanical Engineering Department.

Two years ago, the college’s board of governors had sought Rs 100 crore for carrying out several works of upgrade, construction and renovation. It wanted to reconstruct the Mechanical Engineering Department (Rs 78 crore), and construct Visvesvaraya Centenary Block (Rs 22 crore), a student hostel (Rs 55 crore) among others.

“We are expecting Rs 296 crore between academic years 2015-16 and 2022-23. These funds are used for our buildings — Mechanical Block, University Centenary Lecture Complex, Hostels (Boys and Girls), Civil Block, Architecture Block and Library. Close to 90% of the funds are utilised for renovating the buildings.

The state government can consider an additional special grant of Rs 100 crore over the next three years. Of this, 60% of the funds are utilised for salary and the remaining 40% for equipment and buildings,” said the proposal submitted to the Department of Higher Education.

‘Too little and too late’

A senior official in the Department of Higher Education conceded that the allocation was “too little and too late”.

Sources in the college said the funds would be used for demolition and reconstruction of the Mechanical Engineering Department. The block — a horse shed in the colonial era — and the stone wall around the structure will be demolished.
In its place, a multi-storey building will come up.

“That is our priority as there have been concerns about the poor infrastructure for a long time now. The block gets flooded whenever it rains,” a source in the college said.

There is also a proposal to repair and repaint the heritage building of the college on the lines of Mayo Hall and the High Court of Karnataka.