Dimapur: Assam and Nagaland Governor Prof Jagdish Mukhi expressed concern over the “unsatisfactory development” in the construction of the high court complex and medical college in Kohima.
Mukhi visited the site of the medical college and the high court complex on Saturday to review the status of the construction and infrastructure reports and probe the delay in completion of the two projects, a Raj Bhavan release from Kohima said.
The foundation stone of the Nagaland High Court was laid way back in 2007 and the medical college in 2014.
Briefing the governor, the officials concerned said Covid-19, non-release of funds on time, land issues etc. are some of the reasons that hampered the physical progress of the high court project.
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At the medical college, the officials said that based on the DPR prepared, the government of India approved a grant of Rs 189 crore in 2014, the funding pattern of which was 90:10 by central and state governments respectively. In “Package A”, infrastructure for the medical college building, girls and boys hostel, residential apartments and other buildings were to be covered while in “Package B” teaching hospital, existing 100-bed Naga Hospital Kohima up-gradation, mortuary, girls and boys hostel and intern hostel were included.
The officials assured that the project will be completed soon. They added that the Naga Hospital will be upgraded and used as a teaching hospital during the first three years of functioning of the medical college and that medical college admissions will start from August-September 2023.
On the issue of the high court complex project, the officials apprised the governor that the work order for the construction main high court building civil works was allotted to M/s Vilelie Khamo & Son on October 29, 2012. They said now the stipulated target for completion of the project is December 2022 (subject to fund availability). To date the fund released was only 21% of the total amount of the project whereas the physical progress stands at 72% today, the officials said.
The governor was also assured that the main high court complex will be completed by the end of this year provided funds are made available to the contractor.
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The high court building has not been completed even after more than 14 years. According to media reports, construction works of all the high courts of Meghalaya, Tripura and Manipur which started simultaneously with Nagaland have long been completed and are fully functioning since 2013. However, the construction of the Nagaland High Court remained in a log jam.
Nagaland is perhaps the only state in the country without a medical college so far.
Speaking at the 24th general conference of Nagaland Medical Students’ Association (NMSA) in Kohima on July 8, Kohima deputy commissioner Shanavas said the non-existent of a medical college in the state is “our own creation”.
The Angami Students’ Union observed that there seem to be manmade factors delaying the process of making the medical college a reality.