Cuttack: The Ravenshaw Radio, a community radio at Ravenshaw University here, will resume its operation within a few days.
The university authorities have taken steps to revive the Ravenshaw Radio after a gap of four years.
It is learnt that university-based community radio will resume operation within four days. The radio would go for a dry run for seven days. “We will start broadcasting various programmes after the dry run. People residing within 20-km radius of Ravenshaw University will be able to listen to the community radio. The residents of Bhubaneswar now will have the opportunity to tune in to the radio,” said Ravenshaw University Journalism and Mass Communication department head Jayanta Kumar Swain.
Earlier, people residing within a 5-km radius of the university were able to tune in to Ravenshaw Radio, Swain added.
Ravenshaw Radio, the first university-based community radio in Odisha, was inaugurated by the then vice-chancellor Debdas Chhotray April 14, 2011. The radio used to broadcast various programmes prepared by the university students.
However, Ravenshaw Radio stopped operation around four years ago due to some technical glitches. Some equipment of the community radio station were stolen by miscreants while a few others were eaten away by termites, sources said.
The university authorities have decided to reopen the community radio station in the wake of frequent agitation by the students.
Sources claimed that the university authorities have allocated Rs 25 lakh for repairing the radio station. Now, the Broadcast Engineering Consultants India Limited (BECIL) is carrying out the repair work.
“The repair work in the recording room, on-air room and transmitter room has reached its last phase. The Ravenshaw Radio would soon broadcast programmes based on education, socio-economic issues, career counseling and entertainment,” said an official of the university.
Raghabendra Singh, a technician of the Broadcast Engineering Consultants India Limited (BECIL), said a 50-watt transmitter has been installed at the community radio station. “The repair-work is going on at full pace. Now, programmes of Ravenshaw Radio would reach up to 20-km radius,” Singh added.
The university authorities, meanwhile, claimed that the community radio will assist students on issues related to education and career building. “Ravenshaw Radio is a part of our glorious culture. There was a need to revive it. The radio will boost learning environment in Ravenshaw University,” Swain said.