THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The first phase of the comprehensive master plan envisaged for the facelift of Thiruvananthapuram Medical College will be completed by March 31. The first phase of the master plan includes development of roads leading to the medical college and also those inside the campus.
Infrastructure Kerala Limited (Inkel) is the special purpose vehicle formed for executing the project. The ambitious `717- crore project to make the medical college a centre of excellence was envisaged by the state government in 2018. KIIFB is the funding agency of the project.
According to N Sasidharan Nair, chief operating officer, Inkel, the first phase which includes roads inside the campus is nearing completion. “The first phase will be over by March 31. A 340-m-long and 12-m-wide flyover having two lanes is nearing completion from the Men’s hostel on the Kumarapuram side to the casualty and OP block. The project is being executed at a cost of Rs 33.48 crore. "
"There will also be separate roads for OP block and casualty. The roads will be constructed in such a way that there will be proper signage, name boards and other traffic signs to ensure smooth movement of vehicles and pedestrians. Once the roads are opened, the heavy rush in front of the main gate can be avoided,” he said.
Wide and uniformly paved footpaths will also be constructed along the roads for pedestrians, sources said. The master plan aimed at comprehensive development of the medical college will ensure modern medical instruments and facilities including new complexes- all built in an environment-friendly way. The master plan is designed in such a way as to accommodate development initiatives that may happen in the next 25 years.
Earlier, Kazhakootam MLA Kadakampally Surendran had accused Inkel of delaying the project. He also raised the issue in the assembly in October last year. Surendran had urged Health Minister Veena George to take steps for the time-bound completion of the project. Later, the minister intervened and asked Inkel to expedite the first phase at the earliest.
The medical college campus contains not just one institution. SAT Hospital, RCC Thiruvananthapuram, Nursing College, Pharmacy College, DME office, and many institutions are situated on the campus. Narrow roads and high people density have been choking the whole campus. People are not able to reach the campus in time due to traffic congestion.
Right now, the travel to the medical college is a complicated one. It is very hard to reach the hospital during peak hours. Parking is another problem. So smooth conveyance is the need of the hour. The master plan is envisaged in three phases.
Key components of the master plan
All entry points will have gates with a spectacular design. All the buildings and blocks on the campus will don a uniform colour and design. Besides, there will be maps, signboards and other facilities to help people navigate on the vast campus. There will also be skywalks and underpasses so that people can go to different buildings without facing messy traffic or bad weather. Parking facilities will be improved.