BANGALORE: Officials from the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) are upset that the Karnataka Government has not considered them for any of the major projects in the State, especially Bangalore.

"Though we have the expertise to handle projects in all sectors, especially health, tourism, education and sports, we do not know why we have not been considered for upgrading hospitals in Karnataka," CPWD Director General of Works Amarnath Chakrabarti said here on Monday.

Mr. Chakrabarti was referring to the Victoria Hospital upgradation project being taken up with funds from the Union Government. This hospital is being upgraded to the standards of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi.

Addressing presspersons after chairing an inter-departmental conference and interacting with various clients, Mr. Chakrabarti, however, was quick to add that he could not question the Government's decision of handing over the project to some other agency.

"We have the expertise to give the health sector a makeover and make it more patient-friendly. Earlier, a hospital was a place where a patient saw the doctor for treatment. Now it has been realised that the feel good factor has to be there and a suitable ambience should be created in the hospital. We have the expertise to bring about these changes in hospitals," he said.

Asked whether poor marketing was the reason for the lack of response from Karnataka, Mr Chakrabarti said: "Ours is a government agency and we cannot go in for aggressive marketing. We have met the officials from various sectors in Karnataka and placed proposals before them. It is up to them to consider us or not."

Asserting that CPWD was capable of "rewriting the history of tourism in Karnataka if given a chance", Mr. Chakrabarti said that tourism was not all about five star hotels for the elite.

"Similar facilities should be available for the common man at affordable rates and we have executed such projects in Kerala. So far we have done only illumination of monuments in Hampi and Halebid in Karnataka. If the State Government permits us, we can take up upgradation of other facilities too," he said.

Pointing out that CPWD had recorded a steep growth rate in the last four years, he said: "We had orders worth Rs. 8,000 crore in 2004. Now this has grown to Rs. 26,000 crore," he said.

Mr. Chakrabarti urged contractors executing CPWD works to reduce workforce and go in for mechanisation.

This was essential to keep pace with today's requirement in the booming construction industry, Mr. Chakrabarti added.

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