BHOPAL: Chief Minister Kamal Nath has convened a meeting on Friday to settle the dispute over Lal-Gate on Hamidia Hospital premises. Minister for Bhopal Gas Tragedy Relief and Rehabilitation Arif Aqueel will also mark his presence in the meeting.
Lal-Gate- a dilapidated portion of Fategarh fort, is creating obstacles in Hamidia-Sultania linkage on the Hamidia Hospital campus. The dilapidated structure on the hospital campus stands in between the two new blocks - Hamidia Hospital and Sultania (pediatric).
According to historical records, British had sent soldiers from Bhopal to fight World War-I, the Lal Gate was built in memory of the soldiers who lost their lives in the war.
The structure has no religious significance and in past was used as a storehouse by the hospital administration. In 2017, when the then chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had laid the foundation of new Building of Hamidia Hospital, communal tension had flared up over the apprehensions of ‘demolishing’ the dilapidated memorial gate. Police had to intervene and pacify the tensed nerves.
A day ahead of the scheduled meeting with chief minister, a series of meetings were held in which divisional commissioner, collector, Directorate of Medical Education (DME), deliberated upon issue of Lal Gate. A team of officials too inspected the site on the day.
Collector Tarun Pithode said, “GMC, Hamidia Hospital administration and DME will have to take a decision regarding Lal Gate. Administration has nothing to do with all it as the structure stands on Hamidia Hospital premises.”
GMC dean Dr Aruna Kumar said, “The administration will have to take decision on Lal Gate, We will implement the order of higher ups.”
Medical Superintendent Dr AK Srivastava said, “There were parleys of meeting at administrative level to review the situation regarding disputed structure. Final decision depends on government.”
