By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Feb 20: Almost 10 years after it was conceived, the Shillong Medical College and Hospital is nowhere close to becoming a reality.
The foundation stone of the hospital was laid within the complex of the RP Chest Hospital at Jhulapara after it was planned in 2011-12. The government at that time had also completed some paperwork for the proposed infrastructure.
Soon after the MDA government was installed, Health Minister A.L. Hek decided to shift the TB Hospital to a new building at Umsawli and use the existing infrastructure of the TB Hospital for building the medical college.
Changing the location warranted a fresh agreement between the Meghalaya government and the KPC Group. But the documentation has not been done even after three years of finalising the shifting of the location.
An official from the KPC Group told The Shillong Times that the company had submitted to the government some clarifications it had sought on the new memorandum of understanding to be signed.
“We hope the additional agreement will be signed by March-end,” he said, adding that there have been a series of discussions on the matter.
The official also pointed out that the COVID-19 situation was a factor in the delay of the documentation process.
“Construction work on the medical college can start within two months of signing the MoU,” the official said, not ruling out the possibility of the project cost shooting up.
The state government is reportedly not showing any interest in expediting the process of starting work on the medical college and hospital.
