Chandigarh’s second government medical college in the works

                Even though a detailed plan for the new government medical college is yet to be prepared, UT administrator VP Singh Badnore will be presented the proposal of the project on Wednesday.

A senior UT official on the condition of anonymity said, “On January 29, UT administrator VP Singh Badnore will be presented the proposal for his in-principle approval. After getting his nod, the administration will fill an online performa and send it to the central government for approval. The detailed plans for the project will also be prepared thereafter.”

UT adviser Manoj Kumar Parida had announced a new medical college for the city in his Republic Day speech at parade ground in Sector 17 on Sunday.

NEW COLLEGE HAS TWO BLOCKS

The college will have two branches—one at the existing Government Multi-Specialty Hospital in Sector 16 (GMSH-16) and another in Sarangpur.

This is the second medical college to come up in the city after the Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32. The medical infrastructure of GMSH-16 will be utilised to run the college, and other facilities like the hostels, administrative wing, and additional classrooms will be housed in a facility to come up in Sarangpur.

“The GMSH-16 is already equipped with medical and health facilities required for a medical college. These will be fully utilised for the running of the medical college. Additional infrastructure in the existing compound can also be created on spare land. Rest of the infrastructure required for running the college like office spaces will come up in Sarangpur,” said the UT official.

“The upgraded GMSH-16 will have 50 seats. After the projects starts, there is a plan to seek additional 50 seats. The existing medical college, GMCH-32, has 150 seats,” the official added.

GMSH-16, earlier known as General Hospital, is the oldest hospital in the city.

CENTRAL APPROVAL EXPECTED SOON

The administration expects Centre’s approval relatively quickly. “Though we cannot set a timeline on Centre’s approval, as the instruction to examine the need for a need medical college or upgrading of the existing hospital to a medical college in the city came from the Centre, we expect the approval to come soon,” said the official.

While waiting for requisite approvals, the administration is also working on finalising the site. “The exact site for the new campus in Sarangpur is yet to be demarcated, but the health department has requested around 15 acre land for the purpose. The land in Sarangpur will be allotted by the administration. With land free of cost from the administration, cost of the project will be limited to constructions costs,” said the official.

Source: Hindustan Times