Lockdown, labour crisis hit construction of 2 PGIMER mega projects in Chandigarh

The projects – Advanced Neurosciences Centre, and Mother and Child Health Care Centre — are coming up on the Sector 12 campus of institute at estimated costs of ₹495.31 crore and ₹485 crore, respectively

The construction of two mega projects of Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research has taken a hit due to the lockdown and unavailability of labourers.

Labour crisis has also affected the construction work of PGIMER’s satellite centre in Sangrur. (HT Photo for representation)

The projects – Advanced Neurosciences Centre, and Mother and Child Health Care Centre — are coming up on the Sector 12 campus of institute at estimated costs of ₹495.31 crore and ₹485 crore, respectively.

“The construction work has restarted but is not as fast as it was going on before the lockdown was announced,” said Kumar Gaurav Dhawan, ‎deputy director, PGIMER. “We are satisfied with the pace of construction of the neurosciences centre while the planning for the mother and child health care centre is underway. However, due to lockdown restrictions and non-availability of labourers, the construction was hit for almost two months and we are hopeful that we will cover the loss once normalcy returns,” Dhawan said.

Labour crisis has also affected the construction work of PGIMER’s satellite centre in Sangrur. “We have taken up the matter with the district authorities in Sangrur and they have assured us the necessary support,” Dhawan added.

PROJECTS FOR ADVANCED CARE

The mother and child care centre is a 300-bed unit for improving obstetric and neonatal tertiary care. The plan includes neonatal intensive care unit with advanced services, foetal medicine unit, robotic surgery, human milk bank, advanced infertility services and reproductive endocrinology. The centre will also act as a skill training centre for health professionals and is expected to contribute to bringing down prenatal and neonatal mortality rates in the region.

The neurosciences centre, also a 300-bed facility, will help offer timely, affordable and advanced treatment for neurological and neuroscience disorders. With a number of operation theatres (OTs), intensive care units (ICUs) and ventilators, the centre will have additional facilities such as ‘brain suite’, mapping, invasive neurophysiological techniques and advanced imaging technology.