Chennai: Call it the height of bureaucratic callousness as arterial projects are now awaiting inauguration and are gathering dust thanks to the state government for delaying the project inaugurals.
For example, ten night shelters constructed by the city corporation at a cost of '3 crore to accommodate family members of patients at government hospitals are now in a shambles.
Ten night shelters were constructed by Chennai Corporation: two at Stanley, two at Kilpauk Medical College, one at Egmore Children's hospital, two at Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Egmore, one at Rajiv Gandhi Government General hospital and two at Government RSRM Hospital.
As the shelters constructed by the health department of Chennai Corporation to facilitate the visitors are locked, they are forced to use the pavements. It indeed is a tough time for visitors — as they either take rest outside the locked shelters or choose the nearby pavements when the security personnel shoo them away during nights.
Equipped with three bathrooms and three toilets, the ground plus first floor dusty shelters at these hospitals resemble an open hall that can easily accommodate more than 45 people each. Once inaugurated, the corporation would deploy a staff member and security personnel to man the shelter.
A father of a 15-year-old patient, C. Ramakrishnan relies on the pavements outside the Stanley hospital during nights, as he cannot afford to rent a hotel.
Narrating his ordeal, the 49-year-old resident from Tiruvannamalai said, “My wife stays with my daughter, as only one person can stay with the patient. I sleep on the pavements.”
Visitors at Kilpauk Medical College hospital share a less intensified grief, as the hospital management has set up a temporary shed to reduce patients' ordeal. Even though the half wall structure can accommodate close to 50 people, there has been a demand for the shelter.
“Poonamalle high road and Halls road act as my night shelters as there is no space availability at Kilpauk hospital. What is the purpose of a facility when it is not opened to public?” questioned Maduranthagam based resident, D. Tamilarsan, who is treating his aging mother here.
A senior doctor from Stanley hospital told Deccan Chronicle that they are awaiting inauguration of the facility. “In a reply to Chief Minister Office, we have included the shelter among those projects that are yet to be inaugurated. We are hopeful that it would not take time,” said the doctor.
A Corporation official from health department, whom Deccan Chronicle contacted, refused to comment on the issue. When contacted, health secretary, J. Radhakrishnan assured necessary action. “We will hold talks with corporation officials and take steps to inaugurate the facilities at the earliest,” he said.
