3 years, 2 promises, and still no progress: Panchkula's healthcare projects in limbo
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Panchkula: In April 2022, then Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar stood before the public with a promise: two major healthcare projects would soon transform the medical landscape of Panchkula district.
Fast forward to 2025, and those promises remain unfulfilled, leaving residents frustrated and underserved.
The first project aimed to relocate the aging and overcrowded Kalka civil hospital to Tipra village. The second was the construction of a 25-bedded primary health centre (PHC) in Raytan village. But three years later, one project is tangled in bureaucratic red tape, while the other has been deemed unfeasible due to geographical challenges.
Kalka Hospital: A promise stuck in paperwork
The Kalka civil hospital, built in 1975, is bursting at the seams. Patients often wait in cramped corridors, and medical staff struggle to provide care in a space that has long outlived its capacity. The proposed relocation to Tipra village was supposed to change that.
Ten acres of land were identified by the municipal council in Pinjore, and a request was sent to expedite the transfer to the health department.
An estimated budget of Rs 18.23 crore was forwarded to the director general of health services. But since Feb 2025, the proposal has stalled at the government level. No further action has been taken.
Meanwhile, the hospital continues to operate in its outdated facility, and patients — especially those from economically weaker sections — are forced to travel to Panchkula or Chandigarh for treatment, often at great financial and physical cost.
Raytan PHC: A stream of problems
The second project, a PHC in Raytan, has faced a different kind of obstacle — nature itself. Of the three sites inspected, one in Chiken village was initially considered feasible. But during a site visit in April 2025, officials discovered a seasonal stream (choe) running through the middle of the land. The presence of a hume pipe culvert and the risk of heavy water flow during monsoons rendered the site unsuitable for construction.
Despite having two other sites to consider, no alternative has been finalized in three years. Residents argue that this delay reflects a lack of urgency and accountability.
Public outcry and political pressure
Vijay Bansal, president of Shivalik Vikas Manch and the RTI applicant who unearthed these details, didn't mince words. "Due to weak and ineffective political leadership in Kalka and the negligence of officials, a health centre has not been constructed for the semi-hilly regions like Kalka, Pinjore, and Morni," he said.
A senior Congress leader has also stepped in, writing to current CM Nayab Singh Saini, urging swift action on the pending projects. The letter highlights the dire consequences of delayed healthcare infrastructure — residents suffering from life-threatening conditions without access to proper treatment.
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