This year, Andhra University is adding three new facilities on its campus — a revamped T.L.N. Sabha Hall with an attached dining hall, an additional J.C. Bose Block at the Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering (ECE) in Andhra University College of Engineering with four classrooms and a new hospital block on the south campus spread over an area of 6,000 sq. ft.
The 5,400 sq ft long T.L.N. Sabha Hall that holds a historical significance of conducting the first session of the Andhra State Assembly in 1954 suffered a severe blow when cyclone Hudhud had hit the coast in October 2014. Utilising the varsity funds, the hall has been reconstructed with Rs.42 lakh. The hall will have 250 seating capacity, it is now air-conditioned and comes with false ceiling, two additional rooms and a dining space.
Another block that is almost nearing completion is the J.C. Bose Block of Department of ECE. Referring to ECE stream as the most preferred branch, Vice-Chancellor G. Nageswara Rao said: “The new block with four spacious classrooms aims to cater to 450 students. Currently, the university has 1,200 ECE students and some of them will soon be shifted to the new premises built at a cost of Rs.1 crore.”
In addition to this, AU is all set to house a hospital block to meet the medical needs of the students. “Since a majority of hostlers approach King George Hospital for the treatment, we thought of setting up a concrete structure for the purpose at a cost of Rs.2 crore. When we broached the subject with MP T. Subbarami Reddy, he agreed to give Rs.1 crore under MP Local Area Development funds,” said Prof. Nageswara Rao.
With a further financial assistance of Rs.70 lakh extended by the University Grants Commission funds and the rest being taken care of by the university, the hospital with a team of specialists and a resident doctor, a pharmaceutical store, consultancy rooms and an emergency ward would be ready by 2018. “Initially, the ground floor will be built with a 10-bed capacity. Later, the first floor would be developed with a 40-bed capacity,” said Registrar V. Umamaheswara Rao. The redeveloped T.L.N. Sabha Hall and the J.C. Bose Block of ECE Department will be inaugurated soon and the foundation stone laying ceremony of the new hospital block will be done at the same time.
