CM lays foundation stone for Ooty medical college hospital

Udhagamandalam: Chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Friday laid the foundation stone for the medical college hospital in Ooty through video conference from Chennai.
A sum of Rs 447.32 crore has been sanctioned for the new medical college hospital extending to an area of 40 acres. While the share of the central government stands at Rs 190 crore, the contribution of the state government is Rs 135 crore besides an extra fund of Rs 122.32 crore towards extra budget considering the hilly terrain of the district.
The government has also sanctioned a helipad for the new government medical college hospital to facilitate heli-ambulance.
The upcoming medical college will have 150 seats. With 21 departments, the medical college hospital will be provided with 650 beds.
As in the first stage, a sum of Rs 110 crore and Rs 50 crore has been released by the Tamil Nadu government and the central government respectively. While the cost of the proposed medical college construction is estimated at Rs 141.30 crore, the medical college hospital is at Rs 130.27 crore. Construction of staff quarters and students’ hostel is estimated at Rs 175.75 crore.
Nilgiris collector J Innocent Divya said the facility is a boon to the local indigenous and the tribal people besides the estate workers.
Later, a ‘bhoomi puja’ was conducted at Indu Nagar in the presence of Divya, Ooty medical college dean Dr. Ravindran, Nilgiris SP V Sasikumar and MLAs of the three constituencies in the district, among others.