SHILLONG, March 12: The Opposition on Wednesday demanded a firm assurance from the state government that its commitment to completing the Tura Medical College would be backed by swift and decisive action, not just rhetoric.
Raising sharp questions in the Assembly, the opposition pointed out that the prolonged delays had not only stalled a critical healthcare and education project but also risked dashing the hopes of the people of Garo Hills.
Leader of the Opposition Mukul Sangma questioned both the pace of construction and the government’s strategy to overcome hurdles. He underscored the transformative potential of the project, stating that it could reshape the healthcare and medical education ecosystem in the region. However, he expressed frustration over the lack of clarity in the government’s responses regarding its progress.
When Health Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh stated that the project was 75% complete, Mukul pressed for specifics, asking whether the figure referred to physical or financial progress. Lyngdoh clarified that the percentage reflected construction progress. Further probing by Mukul revealed the fragmented nature of the project’s implementation.
Providing a detailed breakdown, Lyngdoh noted that while the academic block was 75% complete, other structures, such as the principal’s residence, were at 99%. However, hostel construction and boundary walls lagged behind. Financially, the Centre had sanctioned Rs 170.10 crore, with a total of Rs 185.65 crore released to the Project Management Consultant (PMC) and Rs 178.66 crore disbursed to the contractor. The financial progress stood at 81% of the administrative approval amount of Rs 234.89 crore.
Teaching hospital
The discussion took a more serious turn when Mukul shifted focus to the teaching hospital, a crucial requirement for the medical college’s operational status under National Medical Commission (NMC) norms. He questioned whether the necessary augmentation of hospital beds — vital for the college’s eligibility to admit 100 MBBS students — had been addressed.
Lyngdoh acknowledged that delays were partly due to the lack of the requisite 420 beds mandated by the NMC. She explained that Tura Civil Hospital currently has 200 beds, supplemented by 50 beds from the Maternity and Child Hospital (MCH). To meet the criteria, 50 additional beds had been added to the MCH, while plans were underway to introduce 180 more at Tura Civil Hospital.
Mukul then sought a firm assurance from the government that all possible measures would be taken to fast-track the project so that the academic session could commence without further delay. He argued that the first batch of MBBS students does not necessarily require a fully functional teaching hospital, citing the example of RIMS, Imphal, which began its academic session before its hospital infrastructure was fully in place.
In response, Lyngdoh reassured the House that the government was committed to making the Tura Medical College operational at the earliest, expressing hope that the academic session for 2026-27 could become a reality. However, she cautioned that strict NMC regulations meant the government could not cut corners. She also revealed that the NMC would be invited for a spot inspection, emphasising that several components needed to be physically present on-site before the college could be made functional.
While Mukul welcomed Lyngdoh’s assurance that the government would leave no stone unturned, he reminded the House that aspirations alone would not suffice, urging the administration to ensure that its commitment translates into tangible progress.
