Punjab Newsline | Chandigarh
Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh on Thursday announced that the state government has issued a Letter of Intent (LoI) for setting up a state-of-the-art Medical College and Teaching Hospital in Shaheed Bhagat Singh (SBS) Nagar.
Addressing a press conference at Punjab Bhawan, Dr Balbir Singh said the Punjab Infrastructure Development Board (PIDB) had issued the award to M/s Indus Super Speciality Healthcare Private Limited under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.
The project involves an investment of approximately ₹160 crore. Under the plan, the existing 150-bed District Hospital in Nawanshahr will be upgraded into a 220-bed teaching hospital compliant with National Medical Commission (NMC) norms, along with academic and residential facilities.
The complex will also have a 30-bed super-speciality cardiac care unit equipped with advanced facilities, including a Catheterisation Laboratory (Cath Lab) for angiography and angioplasty.
Dr Balbir Singh said construction of the medical college building would begin next month, with the institution expected to become operational within 18 months. Although the formal project timeline is three years, the availability of existing hospital infrastructure is expected to speed up the work.
The medical college will offer 50 MBBS seats annually, with 50% reserved under the Punjab Government quota, providing local students an opportunity to pursue medical education closer to home.
Highlighting the healthcare benefits, the minister said the facility would serve residents of Nawanshahr, Balachaur, Ropar, Garhshankar, Banga, Machhiwara and surrounding areas within a 35-40 km radius. He added that patients requiring emergency cardiac treatment would no longer need to travel to distant hospitals in Chandigarh, Jalandhar, Ludhiana or Amritsar.
Reassuring people about affordable healthcare, Dr Balbir Singh said the OPD registration fee would remain ₹10. Eligible beneficiaries would receive free cashless treatment under the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana (MMSY) and Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY).
He further said essential medicines would be provided free of cost through government pharmacies, while diagnostic services such as CT scans and MRI would be available at highly subsidised rates.
Punjab Vidhan Sabha Deputy Speaker Jai Krishan Singh Rouri, Principal Secretary Health and Family Welfare Kumar Rahul, MLA Rupnagar Dinesh Chadha and Nawanshahr Halqa Incharge Jaspreet Singh Robby Kang were also present at the press conference.
