Shimla, Feb 2 : In a significant achievement for higher education and technological advancement in Himachal Pradesh, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Mandi will establish an extension campus in Palampur on nearly 52 hectares of land.

The announcement was made on Sunday by Gokul Butail, Principal Advisor (Innovation, Digital Technologies, and Governance) to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, in Palampur.

Butail, who also serves on the Board of Directors of IIT Mandi Catalyst, the institute's startup incubator, said he had actively advocated for the expansion of IIT to Palampur.

For this purpose, 22 hectares of land at Bhagotla village have already been allotted for lease to IIT Mandi under the Technical Education Department, while an additional 31 hectares will be sent for forest clearance to the Central government.

Palampur, already home to prestigious institutions like Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya Agricultural University and CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, offers a strategic advantage with improved connectivity.

The upcoming completion of the four-lane highway will reduce travel time to the Pathankot broad gauge railway line to under two hours.

Additionally, the planned extension of Dharamshala (Gaggal) Airport will further enhance accessibility to the region.

The new IIT Mandi Extension Campus will offer specialised courses in cutting-edge fields such as artificial intelligence, drone technology, sustainable technology, and management programs, fostering innovation and research.

Apart from academic excellence, the campus will also drive local employment opportunities, creating jobs across skilled, semi-skilled, and unskilled sectors.

Butail said that this initiative marks a major step towards Chief Minister Sukhu's vision of transforming Palampur and Kangra into a premier technology hub in northern India, reinforcing the region's position as a centre for education, research, and innovation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2021 had reviewed the landslide monitoring and early warning system developed by the IIT, Mandi during his visit to Himachal Pradesh.

The Landslide Monitoring System provides soil movement alerts via hooters and blinkers installed on the road remotely via text message.

Additionally, the system sends rainfall alerts in advance if more than 5 mm of rain is predicted.

/IANS