UoP scraps Pimpri sub-centre plan

University of Pune (UoP) has scrapped plans to open a sub-centre in Pimpri Chinchwad as the price quoted by the PCMC for the land was too high

University of Pune (UoP) has scrapped plans to open a sub-centre in Pimpri Chinchwad as the price quoted by the PCMC for the land was too high,Vice-Chancellor,WN Gade said Wednesday. UoP is now scouting nearby areas to set up its sub-centre.

Over 50 acres costing over Rs 50 crore was offered to us. We are now looking at other options. We have looked at a couple of places,but nothing has been finalised as yet. The sub-centre will be located near the city, Gade said.

Dr Shrikar Pardeshi,PCMC Municipal Commissioner,said,The land is reserved for a university campus. Since it is a privately owned,we cannot force farmers to give it up. UoP was asked to pay market rate. If PCMC would have owned the land,we would have been in a position to give it to the varsity,said Pardeshi.

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Secondly,the PCMC does not have any vacant land. Whatever land is vacant is either owned by Pimpri Chinchwad New Town Development Authority or Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation. We still have not got a confirmation from the varsity on this. As soon as we get a word,we will de-reserve the land, Pardeshi added.

The proposal to open a sub-centre has been on the UoP radar since Ashok Kolaskar (2001 to 2006) was the V-C. Due to financial and technical constraints,this plan got delayed.

After the university management council meeting on January 22 this year,the proposal was again put on fast-track.

The sub-centre will be an extension of the present campus and some of the departments will be shifted here. Specialised courses are also on the anvil.

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