During an event to commemorate Patna University's 106th foundation day here on Saturday, new structural drawings of the projected high-rise administrative and academic blocks were shown. The spacious, 96-year-old Wheeler Senate House, where the anniversary ceremony was held, will also be renovated, according to authorities. All three projects have received the Bihar government's approval, they said. "A year ago, the two new blocks were suggested. However, certain modifications to the designs were made, "Girish Kumar Choudhary, vice chancellor of the university, remarked. "According to the proposal, an eight-story G plus administration building would be built on campus. It has been resolved. The auditorium was initially supposed to be built on the top level, but it was moved to the ground floor instead, "he said. The academic block will be a G plus nine-story building with a cafeteria on the ground floor. The upper floors will house two departments each on average. It will also house a library, Mr. Kumar said. He also shared slides of the new designs. The project is estimated to cost Rs 139 crore. The previous designs had shown the two proposed structures in a heavily glass-fronted look.
The lowest floors of their new avatars include columns, which are classic architectural features. Prior to finalising the plans, height limits, according to a senior official, were taken into account, which is what changed. After completing the necessary technical procedures, the official stated that a notice requesting bids for the projects had been published and that the foundation stone will be set in December or January. The general, establishment, registration, and other departments, together with the pro-vice chancellor's offices, will be housed in the administrative block. The vice-chancellor added that it would also contain the Syndicate, Academic Council, and a conference room and that the project is anticipated to be finished in two years.
After the postgraduate departments have been moved to the new academic building, the existing administrative block will be used for vocational training, and Vanijya Mahavidyalaya will relocate to the former Darbhanga House. We are working to restore the university's former splendour, according to Mr. Choudhary. He claimed that 2.84 crore rupees had been approved for the Wheeler Senate House repair. When Sir Henry Wheeler opened the Senate House in 1926, he was the provincial governor and chancellor of the university.
The infrastructure improvement will drastically change the campus's appearance. The location of the two blocks will be close to the vice-home. Chancellor's The New Hostel, also known as Nutan Chhatravas, was built in 1947 relative to the more than 110-year-old Minto Hostel, which was demolished to make way for the new blocks, officials said. Bihar Education Minister Chandra Shekhar was the chief guest on occasion. Education department secretary Asangba Chuba Ao was also present. Ao said the Wheeler Senate House renovation project would be undertaken in such a way that it would "maintain its heritage" while equipping it with modern facilities.
Established on October 1, 1917, Patna University is situated between the historic Ashok Rajpath and the Ganga River banks. In 2017, Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended a centennial celebration. The Patna College main administrative building, built in the Dutch era in 1863, and lovely British-era buildings, including the former administrative block, the Wheeler Senate House, Patna Science College buildings, and several historical hostels, can be found on the university site.
The varsity's first vice-chancellor was JG Jennings. The Senate and Syndicate, the university's governing organizations, were formed in 1919. The first Indian vice-chancellor of the university, Sir Sultan Ahmed, a renowned attorney, led the institution from 1923 until 1930. The well-known Patna University Library was established in 1919, and a centenary bash was held to mark its 100 years in 2019.