Baddi Civil Hospital Completion Delayed for 2 Years Due to Poor Coordination
Baddi: The long-awaited 50-bed Civil Hospital in Baddi remains incomplete despite the construction of its building being finished two years ago. The delay in its completion is largely due to a lack of coordination among various government departments, leaving residents of this industrial area without essential healthcare services.
The project has been stalled due to several pending infrastructural requirements, including the installation of a lift, fire safety systems, water and electricity connections, and an oxygen plant. Necessities like building whitewashing remain undone because power connections are yet to be established. Shockingly, no formal requests have been made for water and electricity connections, further prolonging the hospital’s opening, reports The Tribune.
Baddi SDM Vivek Mahajan, after reviewing the situation with officials, has now set firm deadlines to accelerate the completion of the project. He admitted that the delays stemmed from poor interdepartmental coordination involving agencies responsible for power, health, fire safety, and public works. To resolve this, he has directed each department to finish their assigned tasks within a specific timeframe.
One of the primary hurdles is the three-phase electricity connection required for hospital operations. To address this, the Block Medical Officer (BMO) has been instructed to submit an application for approval. Once filed, the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited (HPSEBL) will begin the tender process to install a transformer and supporting infrastructure, which requires a budget of Rs 12 lakh. The state government’s approval is necessary before work can proceed.
Meanwhile, the installation of the hospital lift has been assigned to HPSEBL’s electrical wing, with officials committing to finish the work by March 10. Additionally, wiring and fire extinguisher fittings are scheduled to be completed alongside the lift installation. During a recent on-site inspection, officials also finalized locations for the transformer, oxygen plant, and a dedicated 20x20 feet water tank for fire safety. The oxygen plant’s civil structure is expected to be completed within 15 days as per the contractor’s revised timeline, reports the Daily.
Despite the hospital’s urgent requirement for a water supply, no application had been filed for a connection. Now, the BMO will formally apply to the Jal Shakti Department, which will issue the necessary approvals and grant a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for a borewell, an essential requirement for medical facilities.
Adding to the delays, the contractor responsible for the hospital’s construction has been awaiting Rs 12 lakh in pending payments. He has urged authorities to release the funds so that the remaining work can be completed. The Executive Engineer of the Public Works Department has been directed to prioritize this issue to avoid further setbacks.
For decades, Baddi’s residents—especially industrial workers—have struggled due to the lack of government healthcare facilities, often having no choice but to seek costly treatment at private hospitals. The completion of this hospital is expected to provide significant relief, offering affordable medical services to the local population. With clear deadlines now in place and efforts being made to enhance departmental coordination, officials are working to ensure the hospital is fully functional as soon as possible.
