Chennai’s first helipad-equipped hospital to come up in Madhavaram

Meridian Hospital is an upcoming 300-bed hospital in Madhavaram, that will offer a first of its kind helipad facility as well. Founded by a group of diverse stakeholders – builders, doctors, architects and advocates, this venture is scheduled to be unveiled in mid-2020.

While clearances from agencies such as Fire and Rescue Services, North Chennai, The Airports Authority of India (for height clearance with a five-year validity clause), CMDA and CMWSSB, have been obtained, the hospital is awaiting the green signal for the helipad. 

In 2014, a group of builders, including Antony Rathnam of Rajarathnam Constructions, Dr Ruby Manoharan of Ruby Builders, Janakiraman of Jayaswathy Constructions, Mohan Choudary, Chandrashekar Builders Private Ltd and Nethaji Foundations Private Ltd came together with the concept of this hospital to be floated under Walfs Infra. “Rather than setting up individual clinics on two grounds or so (1 ground = 2,400 sq ft), we thought of pooling in our resources and experience to create a top-class healthcare facility,” Antony Rathnam, Chairman, Walfs Infra India, told DT Next. “The joint venture would help ease complying with procedural requirements such as NABH accreditation or JCI certification. It made sense to identify a property and engage professionals to establish this kind of hospital. This also addresses the issue of cost escalation, as combining resources, for a common goal of creating healthcare, is a sustainable model,” Rathnam said. Collectively, the promoters have executed a total of 7.3 mn sq ft of construction over two decades. 

A feasibility study was done by city-based ACME Consulting, wherein, oncology was identified as a key speciality. “This eightfloor hospital, on 2.5 lakh sq ft, is coming up in Retteri, a region that needs such a facility. We spoke to about 120 doctors, half of whom were specialists, before concluding the speciality and the location,” said BG Menon, a key member, involved in preparing the blueprint. Besides Acme Consulting, Technicaliya consultants, Santhosh Associates and IMRB International were onboarded as the key agencies for the project. 

Entailing an investment of Rs 300 crore, the promoters have raised Rs 140 cr through banks and the balance internally. A series of investor meets were held to rope in doctors as permanent stakeholders. As many as 60 doctors had taken part in one such meet, held nine months ago, wherein senior doctors had evinced interest in the project. Besides oncology, nephrology and neurology are the other specialities that will be available at the multi-speciality hospital. 

Walfs Infra India is hoping to replicate the plug-and-play hospital infrastructure model across the south in the next six years. The scope of the business plan is to set up 110 plug-and-play infra projects and release 5,500 beds across south, which envisages an investment of Rs 2,400 crore. “Our vision is to create responsible medium and large size healthcare infrastructure that matches international standards,” Rathnam said.