Groundbreaking ceremony held without official NOC approval:No construction started for 2 mega health projects worth ₹150 crore even after 3 years

Bhopal is still waiting for two major health projects to start, even three years after their groundbreaking ceremony. The projects, costing ₹150 crore, were inaugurated virtually by then-President Ram Nath Kovind at Lal Parade Ground on May 28, 2022. The delay happened because the required No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Airport Authority and the Army was not obtained. Due to objections from these authorities, contractors left without beginning construction, and not a single brick has been laid at Idgah Hills, the planned site for the centers. A Gift for Central India
For the patients of Central India, a Regional Institute of Respiratory Diseases and a Center for Excellence in Orthopedics, worth 150 crore, were to be started in Bhopal. If these projects had commenced, affordable treatment for conditions ranging from lung cancer, asthma, TB to sports injuries and complex bone operations would have been available in Bhopal itself. These projects give a new dimension to the state government’s important vision of medical tourism. For which patients come for treatment not only from the country but also from abroad. The incomplete preparation and negligence of the officials of the Public Health and Medical Education Department and PIU have stalled these projects for the fourth time. The surprising thing is that the reason for both projects getting stalled is an MoU between Gandhi Medical College and a private agency. Dispute with private agency
New CT scan and MRI machines are now operational at Gandhi Medical College (GMC) in Bhopal. But until two months ago, there was a private agency’s center in the old building. Upon the establishment of the new system, the management issued a notice to this agency asking it to vacate the premises. The agency alleges that by withholding payments, an attempt is being made to oust them, even though two and a half years are still left in the agreement period. In such a situation, until the dispute is resolved, the old building cannot be completely demolished. To be built in the new building of Hamidia Hospital
In 2017, MP Falguni Construction Private Limited was awarded the contract for CT scan and MRI operation for ten years. According to the terms, patients were to receive diagnostic facilities at a rate lower than the market rate. GMC management says that a new MRI machine has arrived at the college, so the old outsourced services are not required. Meanwhile, officials say that now the Regional Institute of Respiratory Diseases and the Center for Excellence in Orthopedics will be built in the new building of Hamidia Hospital. But so far neither the design is ready nor has a new plan come forward. Officials changed the plan, hence the project got stuck
PIU’s then Executive Engineer Vijay Singh says that earlier the plan was for a single-story building. After the groundbreaking ceremony, officials of the Medical Education Department and Gandhi Medical College made changes to the plans of both these projects, due to which the vertical height increased. The Aviation Department did not approve this. After this, in October 2022, I was transferred to another place. I do not have information after that. ​