TIRUCHY: Amid worsening congestion and long-standing infrastructure issues, the establishment of a new satellite bus terminus opposite the Srirangam Government Hospital on Gandhi Road, which is scheduled for completion later this year, has raised concerns over the healthcare institution’s ability to continue functioning out of its current location.
The government hospital, which caters to thousands of patients each month, operates out of buildings that are anywhere between 50 and 150 years old. The facility stands on land owned by the Srirangam temple, for which the health department pays Rs 75,000 in monthly rent to the HR&CE department.
The hospital is a stone's throw away from the Ranganathaswamy temple's rajagopuram. Hospital staff had apprised Tiruchy MP Durai Vaiko of the challenges and several others during his visit on Monday.
"The hospital lies about two feet below road level, causing rainwater to stagnate during monsoon. Drainage issues are chronic; even the collector is aware of this," said Medical Officer S Arulselvan.
Vaiko had assured the hospital staff of working with local officials to address the issues, sources said. Against this backdrop, work is under way on the Rs 11.10-crore satellite bus terminus that is coming up on 1.08 acres of city corporation land opposite to the hospital.
Scheduled for completion later this year, the terminus will include bays for parking eight buses, 22 shops, and a multipurpose auditorium. Its entry point is located beside the hospital, while the exit leads toward the sub-registrar's office. Pointing to the under-construction terminus M Aravindan, a local resident, said,
"There's already a corporation office facing the hospital. Now, a bus stand is also coming up right opposite it (hospital). Shops in such areas attract many bikes, and unregulated parking is a big problem in Tiruchy. I don't know why it was planned like this." B Dharmaraj, Srirangam zonal secretary of the CPI(M), said,
"Srirangam is a religious town with narrow roads. Two buses coming together can block the traffic entirely. Emergency vehicles will be stuck. With prime land already taken up for projects like Yatri Nivas, it's now nearly impossible to find space for essential services."
While the promised funds from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) could address the infrastructure woes, health officials say a long-term solution may involve relocating the hospital. "As per Indian Public Health Standards, a sub-district hospital needs at least five acres of land," a senior official said.
"The collector has asked revenue staff to find land within Srirangam, but no suitable site has been identified even after a year," the official added. When enquired, a revenue official in Srirangam said, "We couldn't initially find suitable land for the hospital within Srirangam, but we are with help from local revenue officials actively scouting for a land parcel of at least five acres to ensure it meets all necessary requirements (for relocation)."