KOZHIKODE: The upcoming Jinachandran Memorial Government Medical College at Wayanad would be a medical city, a first of its kind in the state, with all advanced healthcare systems on one campus, said Chief minister Oommen Chandy on Sunday. He was addressing the gathering after laying the foundation stone for the Rs 950-crore project at SKMJ Higher Secondary School ground in Kalpetta.
“This is the first among three projects the UDF government is introducing to address the backwardness of the district,” he said, adding that the Nilambur-Nanjangud railway line and the alternative road to the Ghat road are the two other projects in the offing.
“The government has already made a commitment to the railway ministry that it would take 50 per cent share of the Nilambur-Nanjangud railway project,” he said.
Health minister V. S. Sivakumar said the state had made a giant leap in the health sector starting ten new medical colleges. Four of them have already started functioning.
“The ministry has plans to implement an elaborate package to address the healthcare issues of Wayanad district,” he said.
Minister for public works V. K. Ebrahimkunju released the master plan of the medical city.
The project is coming up in a 50-acre plot given free by the Chandra Prabha Trust at Madakkimala near here.
The government reserves five medical seats for students belonging to the backward sections of Wayanad as per the contract between the trust and government.
The government has earmarked Rs 5 crore for preliminary works of the project, of which Rs 3.5 crore has been sanctioned.
The first phase of the project worth Rs 350 crore will begin in the first week of August.
