Chamba medical college yet to see the light of day

Balkrishan Prashar

With the Lok Sabha general elections approaching near, the Opposition will try to corner the ruling BJP government over the construction of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Government Medical College (PJNGMC) complex in Sarol, Chamba, as it is yet to see the light of day. 

If completed on time, the college would be a boon for residents of Chamba district, but the process for the proposed construction of the college complex is going on at a snail’s pace.

Notwithstanding the fact that the medical college has started preparations for the third batch of MBBS trainees, the present structure, which has been converted from a regional hospital to a medical college hospital, is not sufficient.

In fact, the 45-year-old regional hospital building is being utilised for the purpose and the classes are being run in Akhand Chandi Palace of the town. The building, too, is in bad shape and is also congested to accommodate the increasing capacity of MBBS classes. The additional new building of the hospital constructed with a capacity of 100-bed capacity is being used as operation theatres and students’ laboratories.

Recently, the Chamba Welfare Association, a leading organisation of the region, in its meeting took the government to task for the delay in the construction of medical college complex at its identified site in Sarol, near Chamba town.

Association president RK Mahajan and general secretary SK Kashmiri have expressed deep concern over the half-hearted approach of the state government to undertake the construction of medical college complex at Sarol.

Taking into account the backward and difficult geographical condition of the district, the Congress-led UPA government had sanctioned medical college in 2014 and also released funds worth Rs 189 crore for the construction of college complex, claimed HPCC secretary Neeraj Nayar. 

A period of about four years has elapsed, but there is no sign of any construction activity, Nayar disclosed, adding that the medical college was functioning without its own building. On the other hand, the college faculty was either resigning or being transferred.

In case of an emergency, serious patients have to suffer as the nearest hospital for medical treatment is Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College at Tanda in Kangra district and it takes at least six hours to reach there.

Meanwhile, PJNGMC Principal and Dean Prof (Dr) PK Puri said: “The tenders for the construction of medical college complex in an area of 103 bighas at Sarol, near Chamba town, had been finalised and the work was awarded to the NBCC (National Buildings Construction Corporation) Ltd, a government of India enterprise working under the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.”

Puri said the NBCC was already on the job drawing the structural design of the buildings complex keeping in view the requirements of the college such as trauma centre of level-II, clinical labs, academic and administrative blocks, attendants’ sarai and auditorium.

A provision for sufficient residential accommodation for staff and hostels with independent parking would also be kept on the college campus, besides incinerators for solid waste treatment.