KOCHI: The new Cochin Cancer Research Centre (CCRC) building in Kalamassery will become a reality by the end of February next year, District Collector S Suhas said in a review meeting here on Wednesday.
While the construction of the building was halted in March because of the Covid-19 outbreak, work resumed on May 18. The work remaining on two blocks, 32 per cent of which has been completed, will be
completed by next February, said Suhas.
A new plan has been formulated for completing the pending work — including plastering, flooring and painting — on the A and B blocks, which comprise three lower ground floors and five upper ones, within schedule. Currently, 164 workers have been deployed on-site by the P & C Construction Company which has been sublet the civil work required by INKEL Limited, the agency entrusted with the project.According to the district collector, as many as 39 workers are in quarantine and they will be allowed to work after Covid tests.
“The company has agreed to finish the construction work by bringing in 350 workers, including 100 from Madurai,” he said. Meanwhile, the procurement of medical equipment for the institute is progressing.
The tender for radiotherapy equipment has been floated, Suhas said. The CCRC director will discuss with INKEL the modalities to appoint an architect to proceed with the rest of the work.The foundation stone for an advanced cancer research institute in Kochi was laid by the then Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on August 18, 2014. CCRC is now functioning out of the Ernakulam General Hospital with limited facilities.