T’puram: State cabinet approved the allotment of seven acres at Andoorkonam in Nedumangad for establishing a permanent campus for Central University of Kerala’s (CUK) capital centre, marking a significant step towards strengthening higher education infrastructure in Thiruvananthapuram.The decision, announced at last week’s cabinet meeting, comes after years of delay and administrative hurdles that stalled the project. The govt has now issued a formal order allocating the land, paving the way for the university to begin the process of setting up a full-fledged campus. At present, the university’s Thiruvananthapuram centre functions from a rented facility in Pattom, where space constraints have limited the expansion of academic programmes. Officials said the new campus would enable the introduction of more postgraduate and research courses, along with improved infrastructure for students and faculty. The project was under consideration for several years, with earlier proposals for land allotment facing procedural delays despite repeated requests from university authorities. In 2024, the initiative gained momentum after high-level discussions and assurances from state govt to provide land at Andoorkonam for the campus. According to sources close to the project, the latest cabinet decision is expected to fast-track plans. “This is a crucial breakthrough. With the land now allotted, we can move towards creating a permanent campus with modern academic and research facilities,” a senior official associated with the project said. The CUK, headquartered in Kasaragod, has been operating its capital centre in the city for over a decade. Officials said the next phase would involve transferring the land to the university, preparing a master plan and initiating construction.
