MARGAOWith the full-commissioningof South Goa district hospitaljust a week away (September1), hectic work is underway inthe hospital to complete thebalance work, including theoperation theatres.Contractors and techniciansroped in by the GoaState Infrastructure DevelopmentCorporation (GSIDC)are on the job to ensure thatthe OTs and medical equipment,including medical gas,are installed well before thedeadline.Sadly, while the governmenthas set September 1deadline for the commissioningof the hospital, vehicularparking
in and outside thedistrict hospital premises istotally out of the agenda ofthe government or the GSIDC,only raising fears that fullcommissioning would onlytrigger traffic chaos outsidethe complex.Otherwise, consider this.Part-commissioning of thedistrict hospital a couple ofmonths ago, when Hospicioshifted the Out Patient Department(OPD), followed bythe male and medicine wards,had virtually created parkingwoes in and around the hospital.In the absence of parkingarrangement worth its name,visitors just parked their vehiclesalong the nationalhighway and the PresentationConvent school road “ a situationwhich does not augurwell for a health project builtby spending crores of rupees.GSIDC officials, however,in private say the governmenthas still not accorded the nodfor the development of parkingspace in front of the hospitalbuilding. If GSIDC officialsare to be believed, the file pertainingto the development ofparking space on the vacantspace between the NH and thehospital complex compoundwall has not yet returned fromthe government till date witha financial sanction.Officials in the know saythat the development of theopen space for parking infront of the hospital wouldhave helped accommodatearound 100 vehicles, includingfour-wheelers and addressthe burning parking issue atthe hospital.“We have only received adiktat from the governmentto complete the balance workon the South Goa district hospitalby August 31 so that it isfully-commissioned on September1,” a senior GSIDC officialsaid.Sources said the developmentof the parking spacewould have cost the exchequerclose to Rs two crore andthe entire parking projectwould have been completedwithin three months.When The Goan contactedGSIDC Managing DirectorJude Carvalho to shed lighton the GSIDC’s brief regardingvehicular parking for thehospital visitors, he said theagency had submitted a planto develop the open space outsidethe compound to accommodatearound 100 vehicles.The GSIDC GM pointed outthat barring small space, theentire basement of the districthospital building is reservedfor vehicular parking, pointingout that it is purely for thedirector of Health Services totake a call whether it wants toshare the basement parkingspace with the public.An official pointed out thatHospicio should either sharethe basement parking spacewith the visitors or allow atleast two-wheeler parking insidethe complex.GSIDC officials said thespace behind the hospital hasbeen earmarked for vehicularparking, adding that there’sroom for two-wheeler parkinginside the complex, if only theHealth Services permit parkinginside.
