Super specialty block construction at SCB Medical delayed for three years

Surjit Kumar Dhal, Cuttack, Aug 23: Construction of super-specialty block at SCB Medical College and Hospital is yet to begin even though it was proposed in 2016.

           Sources said, delay in finding out a suitable place by the authorities of the top rank listed hospital, which is going though acute space crisis due to large scale encroachment, has delayed the construction of the building leading to discontentment among patients and their attendants.

           According to sources, at present, there are total 34 different departments and 15 super special wings functioning from SCBMCH premises spreading over 85 acres of land.

                  Patients have face uphill task both in respect of locating and reaching these super-speciality wings functioning under different departments and are scattered on the hospital premises.

                Considering the problems and difficulties, it was decided for construction of a Super Speciality Block to bring all the super speciality wings under one roof with aim to streamline the health care services and to provide better and hassle free treatment to patients.

While the project cost for construction of Super Speciality building was estimated to be Rs. 200 crore, the central government had announced to provide Rs.160 crore and the rest Rs.40 crore would be borne by the state government.

Sources said, the delay in selection of site had also delayed the state government to submit its Detail Project Report(DPR) to central government for release of the fund for construction of the super speciality building.

Sources alleged that with hospital authorities remaining silent, the trend of encroachment is increasing rampantly hindering its expansion. While some employees have made illegal constructions adjacent to their official quarters some other have expanded their quarters and even rented out the same to others for monetary benefit.

SCBMCH Superintendent Prof. CBK Mohanty who conceded that the construction of Super Speciality Block was delayed due to delay in identifying land however told that land had already been identified and the construction work would be started very soon after cutting of some trees and demolition of some staff quarters.

“While the staff quarters have already beenvacated for demolition, Forest Department officials have initiated step for cutting of the trees from the identified land, he informed.