₹145-crore makeover for medical college soon

The Government Medical College, Ernakulam, is likely to have a ₹145-crore makeover soon. The government has approved the proposal and sent it for funding approval to the Kerala Infrastructure and Investment Fund Board (KIIFB).

The detailed project report prepared by the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation in association with Infrastructure Kerala Limited (Inkel) was sent to KIIFB and a meeting in February is likely to give the green signal.

The package includes construction of the superspecialty block, including cardiology, Maternal and Child Health block, quarters for nurses and PG students and staff quarters as part of the overall development of the medical college.

The absence of the superspecialty services even in the medical college had been a concern because of the lack of modern tertiary care services for the poor in the public sector in the district.

The unfinished building of pay ward, a part of which was converted into the outpatient wing of the Kochi cancer centre, has been identified for the superspecialty block. The catheterisation laboratory for the medical college has been approved by the government in a separate package.

The involvement of Inkel in the construction activities had raised many eyebrows. Most of the work is usually taken up by the Public Works Department.

An official of the Industries Department said since Inkel was an empanelled agency of the government, there was no need to float a tender to award the implementation contract to the company.

According to industry observers, Inkel is a company with 26 per cent government share. “It is a company that masquerades as a government agency,” said an official. There are allegations that government land have been handed over to Inkel in the name of development.

THE HINDU