CKD ties up with Tata for cancer hospital in Amritsar

GS Paul

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, April 6

The Chief Khalsa Diwan (CKD) has consented to collaborate with the Tata group to establish a cancer care hospital in Amritsar on the lines of the Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai.

The CKD management, headed by surgeon and philanthropist Dr Santokh Singh, held a meeting on Friday with Tata Trust Managing Trustee R Venkataramanan and Tata group chairman Chandrasekaran to proceed for the project estimated to cost over Rs 100 crore.

Talking to The Tribune, Dr Santokh Singh said the CKD had offered around 10 acres of land near Jandiala to the Tata group to set up an advanced centre for treatment, research and education in cancer, which will be a “self-sustaining” hospital on a no-profit, no-loss basis.

This land was earlier proposed to be utilised for establishing a university, said sources. Now, the CKD wants to make affordable cancer treatment accessible for Amritsar, Beas, Batala, Patti and Tarn Taran areas.

As per the plan, the requisite infrastructure and equipment will be provided by the Tata group. Thereafter, the CKD would run the hospital.

Dr Santokh Singh said a team of highly qualified doctors of various specialties such as radio oncologists, surgery oncologists, physician oncologists, radiotherapist, nursing and technical staff will be on CKD’s pay rolls. “They would be provided specialised training at Tata’s super specialty and research programmes,” he said.

Adjacent to it would be a General Hospital and Nursing College in the complex. Dr Santokh Singh said the site was strategically located at a quiet place and catered to both urban and rural population of the region.

“Soon, a team from the Tata group will visit the site to gauge the ground realities. The aim is to execute the project within 10 months,” he said.

10 acres offered  

• The CKD has offered around 10 acres of land near Jandiala to the Tata group to set up an advanced centre for treatment, research and education in cancer, which will be a "self-sustaining" hospital on a no-profit, no-loss basis
• Adjacent to it would be a General Hospital and Nursing College
• The infrastructure would be handed over to the CKD later