Chandigarh medicity to get private players

After attracting leading national and international players in information technology, Chandigarh is set to house big corporate players in healthcare from within the country and abroad.

The administration of the Union Territory of Chandigarh has decided to join hands with corporate players for the medicity project in Chandigarh, which will be the first of its kind in the region. The authorities have earmarked 45 acres for the project, which will be offered to a player or a consortium on a long-term lease.

The lease will be on the basis of an MoU, incorporating the essential features of the project.

A senior official in the health department told Business Standard the lease money (likely to be substantial) would be invested to run the medicity. It The project will fulfil commitments towards the deprived sections of society.

The administration is expected to invite expressions of interests next month and finalise the applicant(s) by the end of the year.

"It is premature to discuss the quantum of investment. After consulting the developer we can disclose the details of the project. Land is the major cost involved in any project. We are offering sizeable land to a potential partner," said the official.

The medicity is likely to have a super-speciality hospital and a recuperatory centre, a nursing college, a research centre, a holistic medicine research centre, a multi-speciality charitable hospital, a medical college, a dental college and hospital, and a terminal care centre, according to the official.

In order to empower the girl child (Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana have the lowest proportion of females in the country) about 600 nurses will be trained every year gratis.

The official said the administration wanted transparency and people's participation in the project. "We have invited the feedback from the general public," he added.