CM opens new buildings at PU

Patna: CM Nitish Kumar on Monday inaugurated the newly constructed administrative building and academic building (faculty of arts) of Patna University by unveiling the foundation plaque and cutting the ribbon during a function held on the varsity campus here. Both the buildings were constructed at a cost of Rs 147 crore.

Following the inauguration, Nitish inspected the newly constructed administrative and academic buildings and took stock of the arrangements and facilities there.

“With the strengthening of the university's academic infrastructure, it will be easier to further improve the education system here and conduct administrative functions in an organised manner. At the same time, students will be able to get quality academic environment and facilities,” the chief minister said after the inauguration.

Minutes before Nitish’s arrival on the university campus, a group of students created a ruckus and raised slogans against one of the deputy chief ministers. They also shouted slogans against the Patna administration. Students were annoyed because they were not formally invited to the inaugural programme by the administration.

Patna University Students' Union president Shantanu Shekhar said they were not given any information about the inaugural programme. He said that even the vice chancellor was not invited to the event.

As the students continued their protest, the main inaugural programme was wrapped up in eight to 10 minutes, eyewitnesses said.

“The administrative building is G+8 and the academic building is G+9. After their inauguration, the headquarters of Patna University will be shifted to the new administrative block. All the post-graduate departments currently operating in the Darbhanga House will now be shifted to the academic building. Along with this, the Commerce College will be shifted to the Darbhanga House for the time being,” an official said.

Both deputy chief ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, higher education, education and science technology and technical education minister Sunil Kumar, principal secretary to the chief minister Deepak Kumar, secretaries to the chief minister Kumar Ravi and Chandrashekhar Singh, and secretary of higher education department Rajeev Raushan, along with other senior officials, faculty members and students, were present on the occasion.