Work on PGI satellite centre in Una to begin in April, says DC

Tribune News Service

Lalit Mohan

Dharamsala, January 11

The construction of the PGI satellite centre in Una district is expected to start in April. The PGI, Chandigarh, is in the process of finalising the drawings of the building of the satellite centre, said DC Raghav Sharma while talking to The Tribune.

Doubt looms

The PGI has sent a few doctors but no specialist has been deputed in Una. I fear that like other projects, the satellite centre may also remain on paper — Mukesh Agnihotri, CLP Leader

Sharma said as soon as the drawings of the building were approved, the PGI would issue tenders for the project. The construction was likely to start in April this year, he added.

The satellite centre is one of the biggest projects to come up in Una district. It will involve an investment of Rs 450 crore—Rs 283 crore to be spent on buildings, and the remaining on equipment for the centre.

The project was announced before the 2019 parliamentary elections. However, not much progress was witnessed on it in the past three years. The state government was to provide land, water and electricity for the project.

Sharma said that the government had built most the infrastructure for the project. “We are waiting for the final design of the building from the PGI to make the final preparations for providing dedicated water and power supply for the satellite centre,” he added.

At present, the centre comprising a few doctors from the PGI is operating from the IPH rest house in Una. The Deputy Commissioner said that it would soon be shifted to the Regional Hospital, Una.

Meanwhile, CLP leader Mukesh Agnihotri said that it had been three years since the project was announced but till date not even a brick had been laid. “The PGI has sent a few doctors but no specialist has been deputed in Una. I fear that just like other projects such as 70 national highways announced for the state, the satellite centre may also remain on paper. The government should push for its construction and not wait for the elections to lay the foundation stone,” he added.