Rs. 51 crore proposal sent for Govt. nod
Mysore/Mysuru: Previously unheard of rains have been lashing on Mysuru since October this year and this has caused widespread damages to several heritage structures the city is known for including K.R. Hospital and Cheluvamba Hospital that are visited by hundreds of patients every day. Both the Hospitals come under the management of Mysore Medical College and Research Institute (MMC&RI).
Taking note of urgent repairs, the Engineering Division of Department of Health and Family Welfare has submitted a proposal of Rs. 51 crore to restore the heritage structures back into their original shape. The proposal will enable both K.R. Hospital and Cheluvamba Hospital to last for another 30 years.
These two State-run Hospitals were crying for attention for years and the Government chose to turn a blind eye to the woes though many promises were made. Now due to incessant rains, the cries of repairs and restoration has just got louder and as there is a danger of permanently losing the structures, an estimate of Rs. 51 crore has been made.
According to heritage experts, rains have aggravated the bad shape of the buildings and as these are hospitals that cater to the needs of poor and middle-class population, an urgency has to be shown to the repair works as safety of the patients is paramount.
There are over 30 to 40 blocks in the K.R. Hospital and Cheluvamba Hospital and all of them need one kind of repair or another. The buildings leak at many places and both medical and para-medical staff are working amid fear. Besides, the roof of the new Out Patient Department (OPD) in which Jayadeva Hospital was functioning earlier, is also leaking.
To prevent any untoward incidents, authorities have closed the Microbiology Department and COVID RT-PCR test has been suspended. The samples are now being sent to the laboratory of CFTRI (Central Food Technology and Research Institute).
Confirming that a proposal worth Rs. 51 crore has been submitted to the Government, Srinath, Executive Engineer of the Department of Health and Family Welfare told Star of Mysore that the damages are so huge that they cannot be ignored.
“These are heritage structures and restoration has to be carried out as per the heritage regulations. The repair works include the main building of K.R. Hospital, OPD Block, Ophthalmology Block, Stone Building, Medical Emergency Block and many sections of Cheluvamba Hospital and Children’s Block,” he said.
MLA shows keen interest
“The buildings have to be repaired urgently and we have submitted the proposal to the Government and are following it up. The proposal has been prepared as Chamaraja MLA L. Nagendra had insisted on it and had underlined the restoration aspects at many meetings. The Government has sanctioned funds to restore the Government Ayurveda College where now restoration works are being done in full swing, keeping in mind the heritage nature of the structure,” he added. Once the Government approves the proposal, skilled workers will be assigned the job of restoration, he added. “It is a comprehensive restoration proposal for both the hospitals and the rains have caused extensive damage. If the proposal is accepted, there won’t be any need of repairs for another 30 years,” said MMC&RI Dean and Director Dr. C.P. Nanjaraj.
I am sure proponents of Heritage Buildings along with the most corrupt and inefficient MCC/PWD would block any idea of building new facilities to replace them at their location. This would ensure corruption and nepotism in awarding the contracts for band-aid repairs and siphoning off crores. Incidentally nothing is permanent and the old should give way to the new including the old buildings and bandicoots.
one would think that the primary purpose of the hospital is to treat patients in a SAFE environment. It seems, the importance is given more to the outer façade rather than what should go inside that building: healing and not leaking!