This is perhaps one of the most ambitious initiatives of any tertiary education institution in India. The top-ranked Indian Institute of Management Calcutta (IIMC) has announced plans to invest Rs.100 crore over the next three years (2008-10) on renovation, redesigning and construction of its 135 acre campus. Post remodelling the intake capacity of the institute will be increased by 25 percent and also lend a global appearance to the institution.

Currently IIM-C has a capacity to host about 650 students who pursue one of their three postgraduate, exucutive or doctoral programmes.

We have divided the remodeling plan into several phases. The first phase will need an investment of about Rs.50 crore, which will come from the institute’s funds. For the next phase, we will raise funds from our internal resources as well as corporate and alumni,

says Dinesh Varma, chief administrative officer of IIMC.

Pune-based Christopher Charles Benninger Architects have been awarded the job of remodeling IIM-C campus. Work is underway and the first phase of construction is expected to finish around May 2008.

New additions during first phase work includes a state-of-the-art 14-room classroom complex, six syndicate rooms. A new 150-room hostel including 25 for married students is also being constructed. This expansion of the hostel block will increase capacity from 650 to 800.

Classrooms in the insitute will increase from four to 18 and a new executive guest house will also be constructed. The guest house will have 75 rooms and 10 suites and will accommodate working executives who arrive for short-term and weekend management development programmes. The present intake capacity for management development programmes is only 60 which will increase to 210 after expansion.

Other changes in the campus include shifting of the Kendriya Vidyalaya on the campus to the other end where a 5-acre has been set aside for the construction of the school. Roads, lawns and other features will be renovated to give it an international look.

The second phase will see modification of existing buildings, a new parking lot, a shopping centre and an entertainment zone, an administrative block and apartment blocks for faculty.