Polyclinic expansion project: ‘Groundbreaking before 2013’

Finances not released, land yet to be acquired.

ISLAMABAD:

Before sorting out funding and land acquisition issues, the Polyclinic administration is planning to hold the groundbreaking ceremony of the new building of the hospital by the end of this year.

This is being held to build pressure on the government departments, especially the Finance Division and Capital Development Authority (CDA), to take the project seriously, said an official.

The state-of-the-art building is to be constructed on the land gifted by the Argentinean government, behind the current Polyclinic Hospital. The project has been announced several times in the last couple of years. From local leaders and bureaucrats to former prime minister (PM) Yousaf Raza Gilani, all made announcements on the project, which continues to hit the snag for one reason or the other.

It was in August this year that PM Raja Pervez Ashraf issued directives to CDA to hand over the possession of 2.5 acres of the land for the pending expansion of the hospital. Four months on, the CDA officials are still undecided about the issue.

CDA Spokesperson Ramzan Sajid said the authority cannot hand over the possession of the land without getting payment.

Another CDA official said, “It is not possible to hand over [a piece of land meant for a] park for the construction of a hospital.”

The groundbreaking of the project is still expected to be conducted by PM Ashraf before the end of 2012. The date is yet to be finalised, said a senior official of Polyclinic Hospital, who wished not to be named.

“This groundbreaking ceremony has been planned with the hope that it would push the Finance Division to release Rs53 million to CDA as soon as possible, which is the cost of the 2.54 acres of land and is pending since one and half year,” he added.

He said this ceremony would also help the Polyclinic Hospital administration to know which one-third part of the Argentina Park gifted by the Argentinean government has been marked for the expansion project of the hospital.

Last year similar efforts, aimed at getting the funds released, were made in which former PM Gilani did the groundbreaking. But they did not materialise, said another official.

If the land is handed over to the hospital administration this year, the construction of a five-storey medical tower with capacity of 1,100 beds will begin in 2013 and can be completed by 2015, he added.

Capital Administration and Development  Minister Nazar Muhammad Gondal said, “A feasibility study is being conducted with the help from Pakistan Public Works Department (Pak PWD) and is expected to yield final drawings and plans by January 2013.”

Polyclinic Hospital Spokesman Dr Sharif Astori confirmed that the inauguration ceremony of the hospital expansion project is expected to be held before the end of this year. “The date will be announced soon.”

Published in The Express Tribune, December 28^th, 2012.