Rs 230 cr hospital at King Institute to have 1k beds

Once functional, it would benefit people from southern parts of Chennai, who are now forced to head to Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH).

For residents from the southern suburbs, there are only two government hospitals – the government hospitals at Chromepet and Tambaram. During medical emergencies, especially in this COVID wave, they have to travel all the way to RGGGH or Government Omandurar Medical College Hospital. The new hospital was planned to avoid this, officials said.

“During the COVID pandemic, King institute successfully handled the cases. The multi-super specialty hospital that was announced on late chief minister M Karunanidhi’s birth anniversary last year would help the residents from this part of the city and also reduce the burden on RGGGH,” said a senior PWD official.

It would a six-storey building spread across 5.5 lakh sqft, with 1,000 beds and 13 departments, including radiology. It would be set up in a 4.89-acre site within the King institute campus, said the official, adding that the total estimated cost of the project is Rs 230 crore.

“A separate block will be allotted for operation theatres and Intensive Care Units (ICU). It will be a green building that will have solar reflective titles on the terrace. It will also have other facilities like rainwater harvesting system and sewage treatment plant (STP),” said the official.

The other facilities include 10 elevators, separate car parking in the basement, and CCTV cameras. The official added that the entire building would be differently-abled friendly, with handrails for disabled and signage in braille.

The tender for the construction was finalised in December, and the date for laying the foundation stone by Chief Minister MK Stalin is expected by the end of the month.