HLL-HITES preparing report on safety aspects of PMSSY block of Kozhikode MCH
HLL Infratech Services Ltd. (HLL-HITES), a public sector company that functioned as the consultant for the construction of the Surgical Super-speciality, Accident and Emergency Care Block of the Government Medical College Hospital, Kozhikode, is learnt to be preparing a report on the building's safety aspects.
This comes in the wake of allegations regarding perceived lapses in construction, following two recent incidents involving suspected electrical failures on May 2 and May 5. A senior HLL-HITES official in Thiruvananthapuram told The Hindu on Monday (May 12) that the report's contents would be shared with the college principal and the district administration. A group of officials from the company had visited the hospital campus last week and held discussions with the authorities.
The funds for the construction of the building were allocated under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY). A private company in Kottayam took up the works for HLL-HITES. The Union government spent ₹120 crore, while the State government contributed ₹75.93 crore for the seven-storey building, which was opened on March 4, 2023.
There had been allegations that, although the structure was planned to include a Building Management System (BMS) connecting all safety instruments to a common server, it had not yet been made functional. It was pointed out that only the CCTV cameras were connected to the server. Allegedly, if the system had been fully operational, even minor security lapses could have been detected.
Reports also suggested that the electrical wing of the Public Works department and the biomedical engineering wing under the Directorate of Medical Education had highlighted lapses in electrical wiring, construction faults, and issues with some of the installed equipment. However, the contractors reportedly stuck to their original plans. Water leakage was reported on one of the floors, and a false ceiling had collapsed once before the building's inauguration. The electrical wing of the PWD may not be in a position to make any alterations to the wiring system, as it is entirely concealed.
Meanwhile, the HLL-HITES official dismissed the allegations. He claimed that the building had received all necessary approvals and a no-objection certificate from the authorities. He also added that the BMS was functioning during the two recent incidents, and the water sprinklers connected to it had activated on time.
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