Construction of urban health centres moves at snail’s pace

Of the 23 centres, the civic body had completed work only in five

Construction of a building at the Primary Health Centre on Raja Street in the city has been going on for over a year now.

Sometime towards the end of 2015, the Coimbatore Corporation initiated steps to refurbish urban health centres in the old city areas. It prepared estimates, obtained necessary sanctions, floated tenders and awarded work orders to successful contractors in the early part of 2016.

As of April 2017, the Corporation continued to construct the buildings. In a few places, the contractors have stopped work and showing progress in instalments as the civic body had not paid them. In a few places, the Corporation has failed to crack the whip on contractors to finish the work in time.

And, in Seeranaickenpalayam, the Corporation is yet to identify the land to construct the primary health centre.

Sources said that the Corporation undertook at 23 such centres in the old city area. It had obtained funds from the Central Government under the National Urban Health Mission scheme and also from the State Government under the Chief Minister’s special announcement package made under Rule 110 of the Assembly.

Of the 23 centres, it had completed work in five, was about to complete in five other. The progress in other 13 centres were at various stages, the sources said. In R.K. Bai Urban Health Centre near Gandhipark, the Corporation had completed only the water tank construction work.

At the Sithalakshmi Maternity Home on Krishnasamy Road, the Corporation was yet to start work. In the centre on Pattunool Street, near Theppakulam, the Corproation had just started the work, said an official.

In East Zone - in Neelikonampalaaym and Singanallur there was “some progress”, said a senior engineer on condition of anonymity. The poor progress of the urban health centres comes at a time when the Coimbatore Corporation had also taken up construction of new centres in added areas.

Sources said that the Corporation’s new urban centres would come up at Kurichi, Kuniamuthur, Vadavalli, Kavundampalayam and Sundakkamuthur.

Commenting on the delay, senior officials said that the Corporation was focussed on completing the work in time and that there would be no further hindrances.