Amritsar: Health institute’s OPD waiting area turned into parking lot

Amritsar, July 25

A portion of the waiting area for the patients at the Out Patients Department (OPD) of Dr Vidya Sagar Institute of Mental Health here is being used by employees to park their two-wheelers as they fear that these might get stolen from the open parking.

The only public sector mental health institute in the region receives patients from Punjab and many other states. Patients have to fend for themselves as concrete benches in the waiting area have been rendered useless as scooters and bikes are parked here.

Hundreds of medical students also visit the institute every day as they have to gain one month clinical experience which is mandatory for various courses. In the absence of separate restrooms for students, they too use the waiting area in the OPD during their breaks.

An employee when asked about the reason behind many of them parking their two-wheelers inside the institute’s building said, “There have been multiple instances in which two-wheelers have been stolen from the open parking.”

He said, “With only one security person at the gate and hundreds of people coming to the institute daily, it’s not possible for him to keep an watch on anti-social elements and thieves.”

Meanwhile, visitors at the hospital say two-wheelers parked in the OPD area look odd. They said it would be better if a secure parking space was created for employees. “Scooters are parked in the OPD. It seems that there is no one responsible for the affairs of the hospital,” Kuljit Singh, a visitor said, while adding that providing basic facilities for employees and visitors was government’s responsibility.