IITs, NITs need 50% less land: Panel

NEW DELHI: A panel set up to determine the area of land required to set up centrally funded institutes have concluded that an IIT could be set up within 260 acre of land, which is 50 per cent less than the existing requirement.

Likewise, the land required to set up a central university could be brought down to 250 acre as against the present requirement of 500 acre and the optimum land required for setting up an NIT would be 150 acre as against the present requirement of 300 acre.

The proposal of the committee assumes significance in light of delays in execution of the new centrally funded technical institutes due to paucity of land in the ever expanding city limits and land acquisition issues.

The committee to determine the land requirement was set up to address these issues and have a fresh "re-look" into the land requirement issue.

The six-member committee had even sought suggestions of famed architect Hafeez Contractor to develop a model architectural plan for setting up new IITs and IIMs.

The case study prepared by contractor included a detailed analysis of the location, land parcel, students enrolled, faculty available, courses offered and facilities provided at select institutions.

The concept developed by him also included prescribed requirements of regulatory bodies and calculations based on floor plans, administrative, academic blocks, faculty and staff accommodation and hostels in IIMs, IITs and NITs.

The land requirement proposed was made taking all these factors into consideration, the committee said in its report.

In case of IIMs, the committee has proposed that such institutes could be set up in five to 10 acres in urban areas and within 60 acreas in non-urban areas.

At present the land requirement to set up an IIM is roughly about 200 acres.