PWD facing financial crisis, completion of Bhawarna Civil Hospital delayed

The construction of the Civil Hospital at Bhawarna near Palampur in Kangra district has not been completed for the past three years because the Public Works Department (PWD), which was getting the project executed, has been reeling under a financial crisis. Due to financial constraints, the PWD left the construction of the 50-bed Civil Hospital building midway.

The hospital at Bhawarna was being constructed to reduce workload on the Civil Hospital, Palampur. After the completion of this hospital, patients will not have to travel to the Palampur hospital and hence save one hour.

The work on the hospital building was taken up during the BJP government in 2018 when present Sullah MLA Vipin Singh Parmar was Health Minister. A budget of Rs 8.32 crore was allocated to the PWD to complete the four-storey building within two years. Former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur had laid the foundation stone of the project.

Besides the 50-bed facility, there was a proposal to install an ultrasound unit along with the latest lab in the hospital. The government had sanctioned 10 posts of doctor and a few doctors were already working in the old building.

Information gathered by The Tribune reveals that till date, Rs 6.50 crore had been spent on the project. The PWD needs Rs 2 crore more for the completion of the four-storey building and over Rs 1 crore of it is the outstanding bills of the contractor company. However, in the past two years, no funds had been made available to the contractor, who slowed down the construction work.

Parmar says that the aim of constructing a 50-bed hospital at Bhawarna was to provide relief to the general public, as earlier serious patients had to travel more than 15 km to 20 km to get treatment at the Palampur Civil Hospital. The BJP government had sanctioned liberal funds for the project but after the Congress formed government, it was put on hold.

A senior PWD officer says that the case for more funds is pending with the higher authorities and are expected to be released soon.