Work on the beleaguered Cochin Cancer Research Centre (CCRC) at Kalamassery is being tendered again after the construction came to a halt recently with the termination of contractor’s agreement.
Infrastructure Kerala Ltd (Inkel), which is implementing the project, floated a tender a few days ago for the remaining civil work and mechanical, plumbing and electrification work, at a cost of ₹152.54 crore and a contract period of 24 months.
“Hopefully this will speed up the process. Only around 40% of work has been completed so far,” said Dr. Moni Kuriakose, Director, CCRC.
Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB), which is funding the project, had directed Inkel to stop the construction of the centre in December last year on the grounds that the contractor’s work was delayed and of poor quality. The contractor had later filed a petition in the High Court challenging the termination of contract.
The total project cost is ₹379 crore, including specialised medical equipment for the centre, according to an official with Inkel. “Civil work had been awarded to the contractor for ₹89 crore. The medical equipment itself amounts to over ₹100 crore,” the official said. Work on the centre began in July 2018.
Meanwhile, the cancer centre, which has been functioning out of the Ernakulam General Hospital and the Indira Gandhi Co-operative Hospital, will soon move back to the premises of the Government Medical College Hospital (MCH) at Kalamassery. From March 2 till 8, the centre will work from both the General Hospital and the MCH. From March 8 onwards, the centre will work full-time at the MCH.
When the MCH was declared a COVID-19 care centre last year, the cancer centre moved to the General Hospital and used the operation theatres of the Indira Gandhi Co-operative Hospital for surgeries.
