MANGALURU: Karnataka (Government) Polytechnic a prominent landmark of Mangaluru is crying for a facelift. Like most government institutions, several blocks of this institute are in need of urgent repairs and beautification.A visit to the campus brought to light the pathetic conditions. Ceiling on the corridors of the chemical polymer block had iron rods protruding out, and the walls of a few blocks seemed as if they had not been painted for years. The electrical and electronics department had dusty corridors and the students were seen sweeping there. The water tank near the hostel is in a dilapidated state and needs an immediate replacement.Staff members said, "Beautification and landscaping of a prominent institute in the city will definitely invite more students. It could also make learning more interesting. While private institutes flaunt the best facilities, a government institute has to struggle to get a building repaired. There have been occasions when students join hands and paint certain blocks during Ayudha puja . It has been more than a decade that the roads inside the campus have been asphalted. The hostels are in need of a compound wall."Praveenchandra Shetty, a gold medalist in Automobile Technology from the 1981 batch and a practising insurance surveyor and a chartered valuer for automobile plants and machinery, said they tried their best to reach out to the government in 2015, but got no response. "We understand that the water tank is in a dilapidated state and the roof of certain blocks need repair as it leaks during the rainy season. Several students, especially from rural areas and economically backward families, depend on this institute for higher education," he said.Principal in-charge M D Gowda said, "The technical education department has sanctioned Rs 1 crore for hostel repairs after the PWD sent estimates and now the tender process is on. We are expecting the works to begin from the next financial year. Once the PWD approves the budget, the estimates are sent to the department of technical education. Works are taken up as and when funds are released. Several proposals and requisitions have been made to the department and MLAs for beautification of the campus," he said.The college was established in 1946 and currently has about 1,340 students. The campus is spread across 19 acres and has departments including civil, mechanical, electrical, electronics, computer science, polymer and chemical. It is the second largest polytechnic institute in the state and many important exams are also conducted here.

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