Indore (Madhya Pradesh): While growing encroachment on land belonging to state universities across Madhya Pradesh is a common concern, Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya (DAVV) is a witness to pressure from the different government department and agencies for its land for different non-academic purposes.
The continuous reduction of DAVV land has begun to threaten academic expansion, prompting a memorandum to be submitted to the Governor of Madhya Pradesh seeking immediate intervention.
The memorandum highlights that DAVV is required to expand seven teaching departments, but several projects have come to a halt due to the shrinking availability of land. It stresses that university land should not be used only for present-day requirements, but must also be preserved for future academic growth, including new faculties, research institutes, hostels, sports complexes and international-level educational activities.
Despite this, over the years, land belonging to the university has reportedly been allotted to various government departments, including the municipal corporation, police department and the Public Works Department (PWD). This, the memorandum states, has significantly reduced the university’s land bank and compromised its long-term development plans.
The situation at DAVV’s UTD campus has been described as particularly alarming. University land adjoining the main road has allegedly been used for a police station, a municipal water tank, a garbage collection centre, and several illegal permanent structures and commercial constructions. These developments are said to be adversely affecting the academic environment, campus security and future planning.
Raising the issue on behalf of Samvad Kranti, Pankaj Prajapati urged the Governor to impose a ban on the transfer of university land, review past allotments, remove illegal encroachments and initiate action against responsible officials. The memorandum also calls for digital mapping of university land and strengthened security arrangements to prevent future encroachments.
