Chandigarh plans hostel at GMCH-32 south campus

Naina Mishra

Chandigarh, March 13

The Chandigarh Administration has given its nod to construct a new hostel accommodation for MBBS students studying at the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32. The new hostel, coming up on the south campus of the GMCH-32 in Sector 48, is expected to accommodate around 574 students.

The new hostel will come as a huge relief to MBBS students who were struggling to find accommodation. The construction of the new hostel is expected to begin soon, and once completed, it will offer spacious and comfortable accommodation to students.

At present, the GMCH has eight hostels with a total of 447 rooms, which is not enough to cater to the needs of all students.

The existing hostel rooms have cramped spaces, and as per the National Medical Council norms, the GMCH requires rooms for, at least, 445 students, of a total of 750 students. Due to a shortage of space, the hospital is not able to provide accommodation to senior residents (SRs) as well, and only 50 per cent of the postgraduate (PG) students are staying on campus. Even students from the tricity area are not provided accommodation if it is unavailable.

Once the new hostel coming up at Sector 48 is built, the existing hostel rooms will be vacated, and accommodation will be provided to the PGs and SRs.

Yashpal Garg, Health Secretary, said, “When the students will be shifted to the new building, the vacant rooms at the existing facility will be used for providing accommodation to senior residents, postgraduate students and for patients’ attendants.”

The existing hostels have around 173 single occupancy rooms, and the rest have double occupancy or dormitories. The new hostel rooms will have a capacity for three beds each. However, initially, only two occupants will be lodged in each room.

Existing facility not enough for 750 students

• At present, the GMCH has eight hostels with a total of 447 rooms
• As per the National Medical Council norms, the GMCH requires rooms for, at least, 445 students, of a total of 750 students.
• The new hostel rooms will have a capacity of three beds each. However, initially, only two occupants will be lodged in each room.
• Once the new hostel is built, the existing hostel rooms will be provided to postgraduates and senior residents