Kaloji Narayana Rao Health varsity in doldrums

Even after three years of its inception, the Kaloji Narayana Rao University of Health Sciences (KNRUHS) in Warangal is yet to get its permanent premises and staff

​Warangal: Three years down the line from its inception, Kaloji Narayana Rao University of Health Sciences (KNRUHS) in Warangal is yet to get its permanent premises. With yet another academic year round the corner, the varsity that functions from a makeshift office located on the campus of Kakatiya Medical College (KMC) is without required staff and infrastructure as well.

However, the State government had issued GO MS No 5 for the creation of 82 posts in various cadres besides 22 outsourcing posts in January 2016 for operationalising the varsity, the recruitment is not yet done.

Albeit, the government mooted to shift the Warangal Central Prison spread in sprawling 66 acres to some other location to make way for the varsity campus, the proposal has not made headway till now. The roadblock it has been facing was finding a suitable alternative location for the prison.

Initially, the authorities wanted to shift the prison to Mamnoor acquiring land from the Livestock Research Station. When their efforts failed, the authorities identified 100 acres near Unikicherla village under Dharmasagar mandal.

However, the Warangal Urban district administration wrote a letter to State Prisons Department, it’s learnt that there was no response. Even in case the Prisons Department agrees for it, it will easily take another three to four years for the construction and shifting of jail to happen, sources in the administration said.

Meanwhile, work on construction of varsity’s administrative block is yet to begin. It may be noted here that government allotted five-acre land outside the periphery of prison near Juvenile Home (Auto Nagar side) for the construction of a five-storied administrative building for the functioning of the varsity before it gets a full-fledged campus. Moreover the government, which earmarked Rs 60 crore for the varsity in the first phase, has not released them.

Speaking to The Hans India, KNRUHS Vice-Chancellor B Karunakar Reddy said: “Tender process for the construction of administrative building has been completed through Telangana State Medical Services Infrastructure Development Corporation (TSMSIDC). However, we are waiting for the authorities to hand over the land to us.”

Referring to the staff crunch, the V-C said that government has already begun the recruitment process and it’s a matter of time before everything falls in place. It’s learnt that either TSPSC or JNTU will be entrusted with the responsibility of recruitment.

As of now, the varsity has been using the services of employees of deputation/foreign services and some retired employees of the KMC.