The first five health and wellness centres proposed to be developed by the Greater Chennai Corporation are ready for inauguration. The civic body has also finalised 192 locations for the development of the centres. Eight locations will be finalised shortly.
After Chief Minister M.K. Stalin announced the scheme in the Assembly, Health Minister Ma. Subramanian, in May, said the Corporation had identified 140 locations for the development of health and wellness centres in the city. Corporation Commissioner Gagandeep Singh Bedi had ordered officials to speed up the process of finalising the locations.
As a result, most of the locations, including 116 new constructions and 71 old buildings, were identified in the city for the development of the centres. Old buildings will be repaired and modified. Two locations in Sholinganallur, three in Valasaravakkam, two in Alandur and one in Ambattur will be identified for the development of the centres shortly.
As many as 13 new buildings will be constructed in Tiruvottiyur; six each in Manali, Ambattur and Alandur; eight each in Madhavaram and Anna Nagar; 11 each in Tondiarpet, Thiru Vi Ka Nagar and Kodambakkam; four in Royapuram; three each in Teynampet and Sholinganallur; nine in Valasaravakkam; and 10 each in Adyar and Perungudi. Most of the renovation of old buildings for the centres will be done in Royapuram and Teynampet.
Work has been completed at ward 56 in Royapuram and ward 62 in Chintadripet. The centres at ward 79 in Ram Nagar, Oragadam, ward 80 in M.G.R. Street and West Banu Nagar in Ambattur, ward 89 in Elango Nagar in Padi, ward 91 in Sixth Block, Mogappair West, and ward 93 in Padikuppam are ready for inauguration.
In areas such as Saligramam, construction work has been stopped as per court order. Civic officials will resume the work in some areas such as Tiruvottiyur, where local issues have been reported. Work on more than 40% of the centres is under way, and they are expected to be ready for inauguration in a few months.
