BAHAWALPUR: The Government Sadiq College Women University (GSCWU) urgently requires rehabilitation as its facilities are deteriorating and pose safety risks to students, faculty, and staff. To address this, the university administration has submitted a Rs761 million renovation plan to the Punjab government for approval.

In recent years, a structural review by engineers and consultants from the University of Engineering and Technology of Lahore declared multiple campus buildings ‘non-liveable’.

The affected areas include the academic block, which houses 6,000 female students, a hostel for 200 boarders, the main library, and staff residences.

Originally established in 1957 as a degree college for women under the patronage of the Nawab of Bahawalpur, the institution was upgraded to a university in 2012. However, the university has seen little renovation since its initial construction in the 1970s, leading to its current unsafe conditions.

GSCWU Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Shazia Anjum confirmed the urgency of the renovation project. She expressed concerns over potential hazards faced by students and staff under the university’s ageing infrastructure. She said efforts are underway to secure the necessary funds from the Punjab Higher Education Department and related bodies.

Dr Anjum also said that a new 125-acre campus is planned for Yazman Road, though legal disputes over the land have delayed its development.

Meanwhile, Dr Anjum assured that improvements in educational quality and resources continue despite limited funding, aiming to create a safer and more conducive learning environment for students in south Punjab.

Published in Dawn, November 16th, 2024