Salem: The 60-year-old Government College of Engineering at Karuppur in the district is today fraught with poor maintenance of infrastructure and devoid of basic amenities, battling neglect and decay. Established in 1966 and spread across nearly 400 acres, more than 2,000 undergraduate students and 360 postgraduates are studying here. The college has about 150 faculty members.Despite its stature as one of Tamil Nadu’s oldest government engineering colleges, the college campus has become a picture of crumbling infrastructure and poor maintenance. Buildings show deep cracks and water seepage; ceilings are stained with leaks; and restroom facilities are in bad shape with peeling paint, mold patches, and corroded piping. “Roads inside the campus are riddled with potholes and stagnant water, while the absence of streetlights has left large sections of the campus in darkness after dusk,” a third-year engineering student told TOI, requesting anonymity. He said overgrown bushes and the presence of reptiles have added to the unease among students. “The environment here is unsafe and demoralizing,” said another third-year mechanical engineering student. “During rain, the roads turn into pools of water. Walking to class feels like crossing a swamp,” he said. Another student, from the computer science department, expressed her disappointment that her classrooms are leaking and the toilets are in bad condition. “We feel ignored. Authorities must understand that infrastructure is as important as academics,” she said. Parents have urged the government to act swiftly. The college, once a regional center for Anna University’s PhD and MS programmes, risks losing credibility if basic amenities are not restored. When contacted by TOI, the college’s principal V Geetha said she had already approached the public works department to prepare a proposal for a new building. “We have started a new artificial intelligence course in our college for which we have proposed for a new building,” she said, adding that the students in the dilapidated classrooms will be shifted to the new building once the construction is completed. She also assured other issues will be sorted out at the earliest.
