Indore: What could be slower than a snail’s walk? Construction of MTH Women’s Hospital!
Work of the hospital started in 2014 and would have been the biggest women’s hospital in the state but it hasn’t been completed even after five years.
The last deadline for starting the hospital passed in August last year when the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College administration refused taking over the hospital from PWD as many crucial works were pending; including the oxygen line and operation theatre.
Moreover, the hospital got water-logged during the rain, which irked the medical education minister Vijayalaxmi Sadho, and she directed the college not to take over the hospital till its construction got completed.
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MGM Medical College has also sent various letters to the project implementation unit of PWD to get the work completed, but in vain.
“We will not take possession of the building till the issues are resolved as we don’t want to put lives of the patients in danger. Not only is there water logging, several works in the Operation Theatre and Labour Room are incomplete. We have asked the PWD officials to complete the work as well as solve issues like water logging,” Dean of MGM Medical College Dr Jyoti Bindal told media.
As the medical college has applied for increasing seats to Medical Council of India, officials have started OPD in the hospital along with a ward on trial basis.
The PWD has constructed 540-bed hospital at cost of over Rs 35 crore. The building construction began in 2014 but it has not been handed over to MGM Medical College.
Meanwhile, PWD officials said that tenders for the remaining work has been given and work will be completed soon.
Nine years from DPR approval: The initial detailed project report for reconstruction of MTH Hospital was prepared in 2010. Its demolition and construction was started in 2014. The construction cost of the hospital was Rs 35 crore for 540-bed hospital including 470 beds for pregnant women and 70 beds for infants.
Few months ago, National Health Mission sanctioned Rs 6 crore for centralized oxygen line in the hospital. However, the hospital is not yet ready for the patients as PWD couldn’t give its possession to medical college. Now, the issue of water logging may increase the delay.
MGM Medical College has planned to start neo-natal intensive care unit (NICU), paediatric intensive care unit (PICU), blood bank, human milk bank and other facilities in the hospital.
