Garhwal Post Bureau
DEHRADUN, 2 Dec: The Uttarakhand Government today claimed that medical education in the state has gained unprecedented momentum following the directions of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. The government has also claimed that the state is moving swiftly towards its goal of establishing a medical college in every district. The border district of Pithoragarh has emerged as a significant centre of this campaign, where the construction of the Government Medical College is progressing rapidly despite challenging terrain and limited resources. The project has now entered its decisive phase.
The medical college campus in Pithoragarh has begun to take full shape, with extensive buildings, well planned blocks and modern infrastructure marking a major stride towards making Pithoragarh a key healthcare hub in the hill region. The government also claims that the local residents have expressed strong enthusiasm for the project, stating that once 7 the college becomes operational, the compulsion of travelling to Haldwani, Dehradun, or other states for treatment of serious ailments will reduce significantly. The project is also expected to generate new opportunities for employment, business and connectivity across the district. The government has set a target to complete the medical college by 31 March 2026, and the current pace of construction suggests that the deadline is likely to be met.
According to the latest progress report of the Peyjal Nigam, which is the executing agency for construction, most of the major blocks of the Pithoragarh Medical College are between 70 and 95 per cent complete. The government has attributed this progress to the efficiency of the department and as says that that it also signals a brighter future for healthcare facilities in the border district. The progress report of the Peyjal Nigam also states that the faculty block, laboratory block and examination–lecture theatre block have achieved 65 to 80 per cent progress, while 45 per cent of work on the administrative block has also been completed. Experts believe that once these buildings are ready, the path will be cleared for faculty appointments, departmental establishments and the commencement of the academic session.
Construction of hostel buildings has been the fastest. The boys’ hostel has already reached 90 per cent completion and the girls’ hostel stands at 80 per cent. The girls’ dining block is 78 per cent complete, while the boys’ dining block has reached the 35 per cent mark. In the residential blocks, Type-6 and Type-4 categories have achieved between 85 and 96 per cent progress. This entire infrastructure will play an essential role in ensuring the smooth functioning of the medical college, providing suitable accommodation for doctors, nurses, faculty members and students.
Progress in the hospital complex has also been noteworthy. Emergency block remodelling is 90 per cent complete, and IPD-1 has achieved 75 per cent progress. Work is continuing on OPD-2 (35 per cent), the junior resident hostel (20 per cent) and the intern hostels (25–65 per cent). Some new blocks, including IPD-2, IPD-3, the nurses’ hostel, the BMW block and the mortuary, are currently in the early stages, though the department maintains that construction on these components will accelerate soon.
Speaking about the progress in the project, Health Secretary Dr R Rajesh Kumar said that Pithoragarh Medical College is among the priority projects of Chief Minister Dhami. He stated that providing state-of-the-art health facilities in the border district is a firm commitment of the government. He added that major blocks have recorded rapid progress, and instructions have been issued to all concerned agencies to complete the remaining works within the stipulated timeframe. He affirmed that the objective is not merely to construct a medical college, but to develop it as a model medical institute for the state, which will evolve into a strong centre for medical education and healthcare services in the years to come.
