Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras has inaugurated its largest students hostel – Mandakini – which can accommodate 1,200 students, built at a cost of Rs 146.75 crore. All hostels in the IIT Madras campus are named after Indian Rivers.
The ten story building at a built-up area of 32,180 sq.m has been designed for 4 star rating in GRIHA, a National rating system for Green Buildings, IIT Madras said.
The new hostel building has various green building measures, including solar panels and solar hot water system to reduce energy consumption, the institute said.
Speaking during the inaugural function, Professor V Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, said, “We (the institute) take pride in providing top quality accommodation for our students within our campus.”
For reduction in water consumption, the hostel will use treated wastewater for flushing and landscaping. Both surface and roof rainwater will be reused for potable water consumption.
Highlighting unique aspects of this building, Prof SA Sannasiraj, Chairman, Engineering Unit, said, “The hostel was built without much delay in spite of C19 pandemic in the last 2 years and it caters to all the home and relaxation needs of the students.”
The building is PwD (Persons with Disabilities)-Friendly with ten PwDaccommodation. Staircase, Ramp and lifts in the entire structure were designed to be PwD friendly, an official statement said.