Alipurduar, July 23 -- The Alipurduar District Hospital is set for a major infrastructure upgrade as the Public Works Department (PWD) begins work on a Rs 2 crore drainage revamp. The project aims to permanently resolve long-standing waterlogging issues within the hospital premises during the monsoon season.

PWD engineers said that about 476 metres of Type-A drains will be constructed around the hospital, along with 1,056 metres of secondary drains. The new drainage network will be directly connected to the town's main drainage system. The entire project is expected to be completed in six months.

Established nearly five decades ago, the district hospital has long faced challenges due to poor drainage, often leaving parts of the premises waterlogged during heavy rain. "This new system will greatly improve sewage management and ensure a cleaner, safer environment," said Dr Paritosh Mondal, Superintendent of the hospital.

This initiative is part of a broader development push. Construction of a Trauma Care Centre is currently in progress and MRI services are planned once the center is complete. To accommodate growing patient numbers, orthopedic and surgical outpatient departments will soon start operating from the ground floor of a new four-story building on the hospital's eastern side.

Several outpatient services will also shift from the old building to the new one. It is also set to be affiliated with the upcoming Alipurduar Medical College, for which land identification is already underway. Suman Kanjilal, Chairman of the Rogi Kalyan Samiti and the Public Accounts Committee of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, said: "The Chief Secretary and the Principal Secretary of the Health department have personally inspected the drainage situation. Our long-pending proposal has finally been approved, resolving a persistent issue that has affected the hospital for years."

Kanjilal added: "We are committed to strengthening health infrastructure in the region. Once the Trauma Care Center is completed, MRI

services will be launched

at the earliest."

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.