CM lays stone for hospital complex

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, JUNE 19. The Chief Minister, Mr. N. Chandrababu Naidu, laid the foundation stone for the Rs. 40-crore Gandhi Hospital and Medical College Buildings Complex on the old Musheerabad Jail premises here on Tuesday and declared that it would be a model hospital in the country.

Speaking at the function, Mr. Naidu wanted the building complex to be completed in 15 months time as against 18 months proposed by the medical and health authorities. ``If there is delay of even a day, I will not spare anyone,'' he said and added that he would himself inaugurate the complex on the designated date after 15 months.

The foundation for the hospital marks the realisation of a long cherished dream of the people of Secunderabad and surrounding areas to have the Gandhi Hospital shifted from the present location, in a highly congested area between the Secunderabad railway station and Monda Market, to a more spacious area. It became possible, though they had to struggle for it, with the jail being shifted to Moulali.

The new hospital and college complex is being built on a 17- acre jail garden at the rear of the jail building, with a loan of Rs. 40 crores from the Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO). The 1075-bed hospital will come up on a 60,000 square metre area and it would have 24 specialities and superspecialities, in tune with the modern medicare trends.

The Chief Minister appealed to the Union Minister of State for Urban Development, Mr. B. Dattatreya, who attended the function, to make all out efforts to get as much free grant as possible from the HUDCO for the hospital complex.

Mr. Naidu said as part of the Government's efforts to give top priority to the health sector, there has been increase in the provision of budget from Rs. 529 crores in 1994-95 to Rs. 1,472 crores in 2000-2001. With many private hospitals coming up in the city, Hyderabad would soon become health capital of the country. Mr. Dattatreya said, if necessary, the HUDCO loan could be raised to Rs. 100 crores.

The Home Minister, Mr. Devender Goud, the Health Minister, Dr. S. Aruna, Mr. T. Srinivas Yadav, local MLA and Mr. C. Arjuna Rao, Special Chief Secretary, Medical and Health Department spoke. The Labour Minister, Mr. C. Krishna Yadav, Dr. Alladi Raj Kumar, MP, Mr. Sayanna, Dr. K. Laxman and Mr. Sripathi Rajeshwar, all MLAs, spoke.

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