Kolkata: IIT-Kharagpur students, teachers, and staff who attended the hospital management committee meeting on Monday regarding the relocation of staff and infrastructure of BC Roy Technology Hospital (BCRTH) to Syama Prasad Mookerjee Superspeciality Hospital (SPMSH) said that the IIT-Kharagpur administration has kept the relocation in abeyance as all stakeholders opposed the move. The meeting came after teachers, officials, staff, students, and members of the campus community, especially women, protested against the decision, citing commute and accessibility problems and raising safety concerns as SPMSH is 4 km away, on the campus outskirts.
Officers' Association IIT-Kharagpur also wrote to the registrar on Monday, urging the administration to withdraw the relocation order as they feel the "decision was taken in unprecedented hurry" without consulting the stakeholders and while keeping the hospital management committee in the dark. The IIT Teachers' Association wrote to the board of governors chairman on Saturday, flagging concerns about the relocation and requested the move be kept in abeyance.
A source said, "After the first meeting of the hospital management committee on Monday, it was decided to put the relocation of staff and infrastructure from BCRTH to SPMSH on hold. BCRTH will continue to operate as it always has until further notice."
"The students' representatives present at the hospital management committee meeting communicated the resolution that was taken at the student senate meeting on Sunday. The decision of relocation was strongly opposed since it takes away the in-house medical facility available to the students. Rather, the senate proposed to keep the basic functionality or services of the BCRTH alive throughout and establish a better infrastructure at SPMSH and then refer all the cases that require intensive or specialised care to SPMSH," said a student, adding, "Talks are on with the administration to resolve the logistical concerns raised by the students."
A survey among students revealed that 90% of them flagged accessibility concerns, more than 70% cited transportation problems while others spoke of safety concerns because of poor road lighting, isolated routes, lack of proper fencing on the campus boundary, and presence of wild animals in the surrounding woods. Nearly 100 campus residents, led by women, gathered in front of BCRTH on Monday to protest against the relocation and later met the director at his office. Member of the campus ladies' community Baisakhee Saha said, "We flagged issues of transportation, accessibility and safety."
An IIT-Kharagpur official said, "Discussions are on and will be notified accordingly." TOI tried to reach director V K Tewari through messages but he did not respond.
An IIT-Kharagpur office order on Thursday stated all IPD and OPD services, OT services will be shifted to SPMSH. Only emergency primary care will be available at BCRTH along with the pharmacy and blood collection, X-ray, and mortuary facility.