By Aafaq Hussain
Budgam- The dream of a full-fledged Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) campus in Budgam, Jammu and Kashmir, remains elusive a decade after its foundation stone was laid by then-Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in 2013. Despite initial promises and a lack of land-related issues, the project has been plagued by delays, leaving students and locals disappointed.
The university currently operates out of a rented building in Humhama, offering courses in Urdu, English, Islamic studies, computer science, and engineering. While these programs have benefited some students, the lack of a permanent campus has significantly limited access to higher education for many in the region.
Reports attribute the delay to a confluence of factors, including bureaucratic hurdles and financial constraints.
“We’re functioning from a rented building in humhama and construction will start in April,” an official said.
However, locals remain skeptical. “We are not having any issue related to land with the authority of the campus. Now it has been more than 11 years, and we have seen no work there,” a local resident said.
“Only a boundary wall has been constructed, and we are not sure if any work will take place this year too.”
“If the campus would have been functioning today, it would have been beneficial for us, and it will lead to the overall development of the region,” another local said.
Locals said that the funds for the construction of the campus have also lapsed, adding another layer of complexity to the project. They emphasized that the community had willingly donated land for the campus with the hope of improving access to higher education and addressing the literacy rate in Budgam.
“We urge the government to intervene and expedite the construction process.”
Attempts to reach Education Minister Sakina Itoo for comment on the stalled MANUU campus project in Budgam were unsuccessful.
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