Renovation of Faridabad ESIC hospital yet to start

Bijendra Ahlawat

Faridabad, February 17

Although Rs 32 crore were sanctioned for the renovation work of the Employees State Insurance Corporation-run (ESIC) hospital in Sector 8 here last year, no work has begun to date.

A source in the ESIC said, “This was the first major renovation project of the hospital, which started operating in 1992. The work was to be carried out by the Central Public Works Department (CPWD). But it hasn’t officially mentioned any reason regarding the delay to start the work.”

An official of the ESIC said a tender, which was expected to be floated last year, was to cover all the infrastructure-related improvement of the building. He added that the corporation had regularly carried out minor maintenance work.

“Though the hospital was to be upgraded to a 200-bed facility, a lackadaisical approach of the management have led to delay in the expansion and also degradation of the available facilities and infrastructure,” said Bechu Giri, member of the regional board of the ESIC. Alleging that two of the four floors of the building are lying unused, he demanded to upgrade it to a 200-bed facility.

Sources said the hospital had not got the attention of the management after a 600-bed ESIC hospital was started in the NIT area here a few years ago. There are around 7.5 lakh ESIC beneficiaries in the city at present.

Ashish Dixit, Additional Director of the ESIC regional office, said the CPWD was expected to float the tender of the work soon.