Nigdhu health facility awaits new building, work behind schedule
Parveen Arora
Karnal, July 2
Even as the Nigdhu Primary Health Centre (PHC) was upgraded to a Community Health Centre (CHC) in September 2018, it still does not have its new building. The construction of the new CHC building is behind schedule.
Govt should ensure speedy completion
The upgrade to the CHC was intended to enhance healthcare services in the region, but the delays and lack of basic facilities have left people disappointed. The government should ensure speedy completion. — Vinay Kumar, A resident
PWD told to expedite work
The Director-General of Health also reviewed the progress of the project recently and asked the PWD (B&R) to expedite the construction. We are hopeful that the project will be completed soon. — Dr Ravinder Sandhu, Deputy Civil Surgeon
Despite the announcement made by former Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, the facility continues to operate from the old building, which lacks essential amenities.
As per details, the construction of the new CHC building, which includes residential quarters, began on August 27, 2022, at a projected cost of Rs 7.56 crore. The initial deadline for the project’s completion was set for February 28, 2024. However, the project has missed its deadline and the new deadline has been fixed for August 31, 2024. So far, the authorities claim, nearly 70 per cent of the work has been completed.
When The Tribune inspected the site, it was found that civil work was incomplete, while electricity works were yet to start.
Dr Ravinder Sandhu, Deputy Civil Surgeon, who recently inspected the under-construction CHC building, confirmed that still a lot of work was pending. “The Director- General of Health also reviewed the progress of the project recently and asked the PWD (B&R) to expedite the construction process. We are hopeful, the project will be completed soon,” said Dr Sandhu.
The PWD (B&R) authorities also pushed the agency to speed up the work. “The agency has been instructed to accelerate the work. We are hopeful that the construction will be completed before the new deadline,” said Rishi Sachdeva, Executive Engineer (XEN) of PWD (B&R).
Deputy Commissioner Uttam Singh has also instructed officials to expedite the construction process, so that people can avail the benefits of the health institution in rural areas.
The delay in the construction work has led to resentment among the residents, who have urged the government to complete it at the earliest.
“The upgrade to CHC was intended to enhance healthcare services in the region, but the continued delays and lack of basic facilities have left the people disappointed. The government should monitor the work and ensure the quality along with speedy completion,” said Vinay Kumar, a local resident.
