North MCD doubles bed strength of partially defunct hospital

“North MCD, as announced earlier, has approved to set up a super-specialty hospital in Timarpur and have fixed a 2-year deadline to complete the construction work. If things go well, people living in the area will get better hospital facility,” said Pravesh Wahi, Chairman of Standing Committee. While the hospital remains a pipe dream though it is functional, the opposition leaders charged the North MCD leaders of corrupt practices owing to such a huge increase in the cost of the project.

According to the North Corporation officials, the Health Department has decided to revise the existing proposal from a 100-bedded to 200-bedded hospital in a bid to facilitate large number of patients. A report states: “The proposal for 200-bedded hospital is propagated by Health Department for optimal use of present resources. Also, once the department goes ahead with the present proposal of 100-bedded hospital, then the future expansion will not be possible.”

The officials added that the work for construction of Out Patient Department (OPD) and service blocks has been completed and even OPD is functional at present. The work of the nurses’ hostel is also in progress while work of the 100-bedded ward block has been taken up and awarded to a private construction firm. Later in January 2015, Commissioner P K Gupta had directed to revise the proposal from a 100-bedded hospital to a 200-bedded hospital and process the case for revised administrative approval and expenditure sanction. 

“In view to facilitate health services for the people living in Civil Lines zone, especially Timarpur belt, the agency has taken a decision to double the number of beds and to enhance other infrastructure also,” said the Municipal Health Officer (MHO).

Moreover, during the construction of this hospital in 2012, Balak Ram hospital had also flouted the mandatory norms by having an exit in the front of the building. While the construction has not been completed, the OPD of the hospital is still functional. While the construction is still going on, the residents of Timarpur are unable to reap the benefits of the hospital for the past 14 years. Notably, the administrative approval and expenditure sanction was accorded in 2002. Presently, there is a huge escalation in the cost and many components are yet to be completed.