Greater Noida: Recover ₹23 crore for GIMS repair from officials, say activists

Activists demanded that ₹23 crore required to reconstruct/modify the Government Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS) building in Kasna be recovered from officials of the Greater Noida authority for their alleged negligence with regard to the faulty design of the building

During a meeting with Uttar Pradesh chief secretary RK Tiwari on Friday, activists demanded that ₹23 crore required to reconstruct/modify the Government Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS) building in Kasna be recovered from officials of the Greater Noida authority for their alleged negligence with regard to the faulty design of the building.

Activists allege there are faults in the building’s design plan. (HT ARCHIVE)

The move comes after concerns were raised about the building’s structure which has “major design faults”, which has raised safety concerns, said activists.

“Officials of the Greater Noida authority, who were handling construction of the GIMS building, and the authority’s main administrative office should pay the amount needed to reconstruct/modify the unsafe basement structure, as they did not do their duties properly. The government must file an FIR against the officials involved in this. The building structure is unsafe according to the government report and the loss caused should be recovered from the officials responsible for it,” said Praveen Bharatiya, founder president of NGO Corruption Free India.

Bharatiya, and another member Deepak Sharma went to Lucknow and raised the matter with Tiwari on Friday. “The chief secretary has assured that appropriate action will be taken in this matter without failure, or we will meet Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath and approach a court if needed,” said Bharatiya.

He earlier complained against the officials in the matter, following which the chief secretary inspected the hospital building and directed action.

“Waterlogging and seepage is weakening the foundation of the building. But nothing has happened in this regard We want to know why no action has been taken so far,” said Alok Nagar, another activist.

The foundation of GIMS was laid on the May 13, 2008 by then UP chief minister Mayawati and the hospital was named as Manyawar Kashiram Multi-Specialty Hospital. The state assembly passed the bill on December 4, 2012, and proposed to rename the institution as Medical University and Allied Hospital. The building was then constructed as per the university norms.

On April 2, 2013, chief minister Akhilesh Yadav inaugurated the hospital from Lucknow to start the services of the out-patient department. Emergency services in the hospital commenced from August 15, 2014. On February 15, 2016, the institution was rechristened as the Government Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS) by the Yogi Adityanath government. It handled Covid-19 patients quite well during last two years.

The chief secretary did not take respond to calls seeking a response on this matter.

“ ₹23 crore is needed to improve the faulty design of the building. We will soon start work after hiring an agency. We have taken action against the firm for faulty design,” said Narendra Bhooshan, CEO of the Greater Noida authority.