THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A flyover and the roads included in the first phase of the comprehensive masterplan for the facelift of the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College are likely to be opened to the public by the second week of May.
The first phase includes the development of roads leading to the medical college, besides those on the campus. Infrastructure Kerala (Inkel) is executing the ambitious `717-crore project to make the medical college a centre of excellence. The project was envisaged by the state government in 2018, with KIIFB funding. A top Inkel official told TNIE that all the infrastructure work included in Phase-I has been completed with some finishing remaining.
“The work of the 340-metre long 12-metre wide flyover has already been completed, including painting work, and it is ready to open. Besides, five roads inside the campus have also completed with proper signage. The finishing work will be completed within a week,” the official said. The flyover starts from the men’s hostel on the Kumarapuram side and takes separate roads to the casualty and the OP block.
“The project is being executed at a cost of `33.48 crore. The roads have been constructed with 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,” said the official.
Meanwhile, the second phase of development has also begun with the initial work – including the installation of CCTV cameras and the replacement of lab machines like MRI scans – progressing, the official said. “The major work in the second phase is the demolition of old buildings, including the operation theatre.
We are waiting for the clearance from the Airport Authority of India (AAI) to construct new buildings after razing down the old buildings,” the official added. The master plan, envisaged in three phases, will ensure modern medical instruments and facilities, including new complexes, all built in an environment-friendly way. It is designed to accommodate development initiatives that may happen in the next 25 years, said the official.
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