Circus tents erected on site set aside for Kapurthala medical college

Aparna Banerji

Jalandhar, August 28

Circus tents erected on the site where Punjab’s ambitious medical college is slated to come up in Kapurthala, has kicked up a storm, with the Opposition questioning the state government’s intent and seriousness on the project. Questions have also been raised on how such installations could be allowed at a government site.

While the construction at the site was expected to take off until now, it remains stalled amidst ongoing tendering process. Amidst the delay, tents of the Royal Circus on 11 acres (of the total 23 acre) were erected at ‘Civil Hospital Ground, Old Abrol Factory, Kapurthala’. While the nodal officer of the medical college was unaware, the district administration said it gave a go ahead at its own level.

Permissions to install circus tents, swings, rides, bamboo poles, etc. were granted by the DC via a letter (The Tribune has a copy) dated August 24.

The permission has been granted for a month until September 24.

The boundary wall of the college has also been partially demolished. The Kapurthala DC said Rs 75,000 was received from the circus company by the District Red Cross Society.

Senior BJP leader Umesh Sharda said, “The Kapurthala medical project was to be inaugurated by PM virtually during his Ferozepur visit. It’s among three prestigious medical colleges announced in the state. Centre had released funds for the college. Maps were cleared by the state CM. Instead of a building, we now see a circus. Is it a joke? On what basis was this allowed on government land? The circus must be earning in lakhs, how did the administration settle for so less (money)? The CM must order an enquiry to look into it.”

Sharda said he also wrote to Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and Union Minister Hardeep Puri in June, seeking foundation stone laying of the project.

Notably, the project was slated to be virtually inaugurated during PM Narendra Modi’s visit to Ferozepur on January 5, 2022 which was later cancelled. In November 2022, CM Bhagwant Mann paid a visit to Kapurthala to review the project. Slated to come up at a cost of Rs 428.59 cr, the project is based on ratio of 40:60 between state and Centre. State officials said Rs 100 crore (50 cr each from Centre and state) had already been released for the project.

Kapurthala DC Karnail Singh said, “The circus company has paid Rs 75,000 to the District Red Cross Society for the circus. The land was lying vacant and even though permission was through district administration, the medical education department raised no objections (to the circus).” The DC also agreed permission to demolish the wall was also from the administration.

Kapurthala Civil Surgeon Dr Rajwinder Kaur said, “The letter was processed through the DC. Proceedings were cleared as per rules.”

‘Govt serious about medical college project’

Nodal Officer, Medical College Kapurthala, Dr Karamjit Singh added, “The state government is very serious about the project. Centre and state have both released Rs 50 crore each for the project. Tenders were floated twice but no one applied. Since the project is on the EPC (Engineering, procurement and construction) mode, the norms have now been relaxed after a meet chaired by the CM a week ago. He also sought a speeding up of the process. The tenders will be floated again in a fortnight, after another meeting.”