Heart of Campus: How the Maintenance Department Keeps the Campus Running!

The Maintenance Department, headed by Balbir Singh Jangra (Associate Director- Maintenance) and the team comprising Deepak Rao, Abdul Samad, Gaurav Tyagi, Pawan Mittal, Sushant Singh, and Uttam Singh, is the unsung hero behind the scenes, ensuring that the campus functions smoothly and efficiently. Their responsibilities span across a wide array of critical systems and infrastructure, encompassing everything from lighting, power supply, heating, ventilation and air-conditioning, water supply and fire safety. Here’s a closer look at how this dedicated team keeps the university running seamlessly.

Comprehensive Water Management

One of the primary tasks of the Maintenance Department is managing the campus’s water supply. This includes overseeing overhead tanks and ensuring a steady flow of water for various purposes such as drinking, bathing, flushing, and washing. The department utilises available sources of water supply, such as HUDA (Haryana Urban Development Authority) water supply. The team has also installed aerators in water taps, bathing showers and kitchen to regulate and reduce water usage and uses foam dispensers to minimise soap consumption and water wastage.

Our goal is to make the university campus net-zero in energy consumption and reduce water usage. The STP (Sewage Treatment Plant) plays a crucial role in the campus’s sustainability efforts. There are two STPs on campus: one with a capacity of 100 kLD (kilo Litres per Day) and the other one with a capacity of 300 kLD (kilo Litres per Day). These plants convert the wastewater from toilets into grey water for reusable purposes, which is then treated and recycled for horticulture purposes, maintaining 13 acres of horticulture on campus.

The department also manages a Water Treatment Plant (WTP). The HUDA water, which is often of subpar quality, is treated here to meet drinkable standards. This internal WTP ensures that all drinking water on campus is safe to drink. We conduct monthly tests of water, and samples collected from drinking points of all buildings to check for potability. There are Heat Pumps installed in all Hostels on the Terrace floor to provide a hot water supply which is used for shower and in-hostel dining purposes. The department also utilises a Rainwater Harvesting System on campus for recharging groundwater levels. There are Heat Pumps installed in all Hostels on the Terrace floor to provide a hot water supply which is used for shower and in-hostel dining purposes. The department also utilises a Rainwater Harvesting System on campus for recharging groundwater levels.

Efficient Cooling and Heating Systems

The department is responsible for maintaining six chiller plants with varying capacities (175 TR x 02, 300 TR x 02, and 600 TR x 02) to provide cooling as needed. These systems are crucial for maintaining comfortable temperatures across the campus during the summer season, including classrooms, residence halls, administrative buildings, and academic blocks.

There are 04 Hot Water Generators of different capacities as per design installed on campus for providing a Heated Water Supply for maintaining temperature across all the above-mentioned building locations during the winter season. However, for some specific areas like Dr Reddy’s, Takshila, Black Box, MPH in Admin Building and 02 Nos. of 100-seater Classroom have their own independent air-conditioning systems that can operate 24/7 for maintaining temperature for heating and cooling services.

Lighting and Power Systems

Ashoka University’s power needs are robustly supported by a combination of solar energy, diesel generators (DG sets), and uninterrupted power supply (UPS) systems. The campus has five DG sets with capacities of 750 KVA x 4 and 500 KVA x 1, providing a backup of 3.5 megawatts against a sanctioned load of 3.0 megawatts. This ensures that there is no electricity outage, with a conversion time of just 30 seconds between EB power and DG sets with support of multiple UPS connected for critical loads such as IT, Safety and Security Systems.

The solar energy system contributes 0.9 MW during the daytime and doesn’t have night availability because there are no storage batteries, thus reducing the campus’s carbon footprint and avoiding the environmental impact

of battery disposal. The maintenance team coordinates closely with the Indian Oil Corporation for a continuous diesel supply as a fuel for diesel gensets, ensuring uninterrupted power supply as per demand. Our campus is free from conventional lighting fixtures (conventional fixtures are those which consume more electricity) and there are 100% LED lighting fixtures installed on campus. There are 02 Nos. of EV charging stations installed on campus for charging electric vehicles which can be used 24/7.

Planned Preventative Maintenance

The Maintenance Department conducts preventative maintenance (PPM) annually in a planned manner, with a focus on all the hostels during summer break and all the academic buildings during winter break. This involves a thorough overhaul, including painting, touch-ups, civil and carpentry, MEP (Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing) checks and repair. Additionally, the team also performs daily maintenance tasks to address any issues that arise, ranging from bulb outages to roof repairs.

The team also executes project-related activities like modification and renovation of existing infrastructure. They manage a range of equipment, including Generators, Transformers, Air-conditioners, Chillers, Lifts, Pumps, RO Plants and Tank cleaning through Annual Maintenance Contracts (AMCs) with specialised companies and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs).

Fire Safety and Air Quality

Fire safety is a top priority, with sensors and alarms installed across the campus. The department also implements measures to mitigate air pollution, particularly during high AQI (Air Quality Index) days. They have installed air purifiers in common areas and use sprinkler showers on top of buildings to reduce particle matter levels when the AQI crosses hazardous levels. The team also conducts washing of all trees during high AQI days to bring down PM 2.5 levels.

Pandemic Response and Sustainability

During the pandemic, the Maintenance Department ensured that essential services continued without interruption. Sustainability is a core principle in all their activities, with a focus on biodegradable practices and reducing environmental impact.

The department even recycles unusual items like lubes and oils, which typically come from a DG set and a transformer. Initially, these substances can be filtered and reused by an OEM, who dilutes and returns them. However, after three or four treatments, they become non-usable and must be disposed of safely. The team ensures these lubes and oils are handled by certified disposers who destroy or recycle them according to established procedures. The department then receives a certificate verifying the environmentally friendly disposal of Ashoka’s lubes and oils.

The Maintenance Department is truly the heart of the university, pumping life into every corner through its meticulous management of water, power, HVAC, and other critical systems. Their dedication ensures a safe, comfortable, and sustainable environment for everyone on campus.