PGI to get 50.76 acre land to augment its capacity: Jaitley

Sandeep Rana
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, February 19

In a major boost to the PGI and patients from the region, the Union Cabinet, at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, today approved the proposal for the transfer of 50.76 acres of land at Sarangpur to the PGI.

PGI officials said it had also been approved that only Rs 180 crore would have to be paid to the UT Administration for the transfer of the land. Earlier, the proposed cost was a whopping Rs 1,100 crore.

The Union Government will transfer the amount to the Administration. After many follow-ups by the PGI, the issue regarding the cost was settled. The PGI’s contention was that it should be handed over the land for free since the land was to be transferred by the government. However, the Administration had argued that it had acquired the land from villagers by paying them. Finally, a consensus was reached that the cost would be fixed at Rs 180 crore.

Four facilities, including an advanced cancer centre, an OPD trauma centre and a learning resource centre, will come up at Sarangpur, which will provide a big relief to the people.

Amitabh Avasthi, Deputy Director, Administration, PGI, told Chandigarh Tribune, “The cost of Rs 180 crore is part of the Cabinet note. More importantly, the Finance Ministry has conveyed its ‘no objection’ to the proposal, which has made things easier. For about a year, we had been following up the case with the government and the departments concerned.”

“It is a very big development, which will have consequences for the next 25 to 30 years,” said the PGI Director, Prof Jagat Ram.

He said nearly 28 lakh patients visited the PGI annually and the new centre would provide a major relief to the overcrowded premier hospital. He said around 10,000 patients, along with about 25,000 attendants, visited the hospital daily.

Officials said it would take about three months to complete the formalities and start work. Around five years would be required to execute the four projects.