PANAJI
A team from the Union Ministry of Education on Tuesday inspected the proposed 4.5 lakh square metre land parcel within the premises of Goa College of Engineering at Farmagudi for the establishment of IIT Goa’s permanent campus.
The six-member committee conducted an inspection of the site and is expected to submit its report within a week. Officials said the team seems to be satisfied with the proposed land site.
Official said that the Centre has already relaxed the mandatory requirement of 10 lakh square metres of land for the institute. “If the proposal receives approval, the land will be transferred to IIT Goa for setting up its permanent campus, with additional land to be provided in future for expansion if required,” official said.
Nearly ten years after its establishment in 2016, IIT Goa continues to function from its temporary campus at Farmagudi, highlighting the need for a permanent facility to support growth in academic programmes, research activities and residential infrastructure.
The development comes months after Chief Minister Pramod Sawant announced during the Ponda by-election campaign that IIT Goa’s permanent campus would be developed at Farmagudi.
The institute’s search for a permanent site has faced multiple hurdles over the years. Earlier proposed locations at Loliem in Canacona, Melauli in Sattari and Cotarli in Sanguem were dropped following public opposition, while sites at Rivona and Dharbandora could not move ahead due to land acquisition issues.
Most recently, the proposed site at Codar village in Ponda was shelved in September last year after protests by local residents.
The delay in finalising land has also affected IIT Goa’s expansion plans, with the institute reportedly missing out on research and infrastructure grants, including additional funding announced by the Union Ministry of Education for IITs established after 2014.
