Karnal: Despite completion of building, Kutail medical varsity yet to become operational

Even after the completion of the majority of civil work nearly four months back, the Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay University of Health Sciences at Kutail village in the district is yet to begin operations. The recruitment of faculty members, appointment of the Vice-Chancellor and procurement of equipment and machinery are still pending.

As per officials, medical equipment worth Rs 428 crore will be procured for the smooth functioning of the university. Tenders have been floated for the purchase of medical equipment, while the recruitment of faculty members is underway. Sources claimed that the absence of key requirements, including the Vice-Chancellor (VC) and faculty members had delayed the launch of academic and hospital services. These appointments are essential to make the university operational. The project is an ambitious project of former Chief Minister and current Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, who had announced it on December 13, 2014 soon after assuming charge as the CM.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone on February 12, 2019, from Kurukshetra. The construction was completed at a cost of Rs 761.51 crore on approximately 140 acres.

The project, initially scheduled for completion by January 2022, faced multiple delays due to the Covid pandemic and administrative issues. Deadlines were extended six times.

Buildings of the nursing and physiotherapy colleges are already complete and classes for BSc nursing and bachelor of physiotherapy have begun.

As per the officials, in the first phase, 1,535 staff members, including 57 faculty members, are to be recruited. However, some of the officials of Group B have been appointed. For the post of VC, around 10 applications were received, but still no appointment has been made.

Dr MK Garg, Director of Kalpana Chawla Government Medical College (KCGMC) and controlling officer of the university, said eight to nine Group-B faculty members have been selected and they have joined. Deputy Commissioner Uttam Singh said the recruitment and procurement processes were being done at the state headquarters level.

Haryana Assembly Speaker and Gharaunda MLA Harvinder Kalyan said the civil work has been completed and the university will start functioning after the appointment of the faculty and the Vice-Chancellor.

Meanwhile, Opposition leaders criticised the government over the delay in starting the university. Senior Congress leader and former MLA Shamsher Singh Gogi said the government did not have sufficient funds to provide good salaries to the doctors, due to which the faculty members were not showing interest. “The purpose of the university is to provide better health services, but even after completion of work, it cannot be started, which shows the government is not serious on development projects,” he said.

Sources said the building of the medical university was yet to be handed over to the DMER, as the department had not yet appointed sweepers and chowkidars to maintain it.