3 days ago
How a family hospital set up in '40s gave rise to a medical mandi in Ghaziabad
Ghaziabad: As you enter Modinagar via the Ghaziabad-Meerut highway, your attention is inevitably diverted to this long winding stretch of hospitals, clinics, pharmacies and diagnostic centres.
The scene unfolds like a chaotic bazaar — but instead of vegetables or spices, this is a medical mandi.
Towering hoardings and brightly painted signboards jostle for attention, each advertising a doctor, a diagnostic centre, or a pharmacy. "Specialist in skin disorders," reads one billboard, while another promises "state-of-the-art diagnostic facilities". Pharmacies line the sidewalks, their shelves spilling over with medicine boxes, while lab technicians in white coats call out to customers, offering express blood test services.
The street hums with activity during the day between 10am and 1pm, and between 4pm and 7pm, when OPDs are open, patients streaming in and out of clinics, and attendants carrying reports and prescriptions… all eager to see their known family doctors. The air is one of familiarity and faith.
The origins of Modinagar's medical corridor can be traced back to the Modi Hospital set up in the 40s by Gurjarmal Modi, founder of the Modi industries for the industry workers.
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"The hospital had OPDs of GPs and was primarily for the industry workers. This hospital shut down by 1985 but around the same time, KN Modi set up a Modi Eye Hospital which provided free treatment and eye surgeries to the poor and general OPDs," said Dr SK Sharma, president of Private Chikitsak Medical Association, Modinagar.
Recalling how a boom of private practice began in Modinagar, Dr Satendra Kumar, owner of Sarvodaya Hospital, said that he came to Modinagar in 1984 to practice at the Modi Eye Hospital after graduating from Lala Lajpat Rai Memorial Medical College, Meerut.
"After practicing at the eye hospital and also running my own private clinic for 10 years, I opened my own hospital in 1994. Several other doctors like me had the same trajectory," he adds.
Dr Rajesh Sharma, who runs a clinic in Modinagar since 1989, said, "My father started his medical store in the early '80s when industries were shutting down, and labourers needed affordable care here." "By 1989, I opened my clinic here, and the demand just kept growing."
He added that most doctors who were practicing gynaecologists opened their own nursing homes as well.
"For doctors graduating from LLRM Medical College during the 80s and 90s, Modinagar was the closest option to practice since the city was developed compared to other areas and was closer than Ghaziabad for doctors belonging to Saharanpur, Modinagar, Muradnagar, Muzaffarnagar. Today, maximum number of doctors here are natives of the nearby villages," said Dr Navneet.
The 3km-kilometre medical corridor — buzzing for decades with clinics, pharmacies, and diagnostic labs — continues to hum with its familiar, everyday urgency, now with new rhythm, brought in by the RRTS (Delhi–Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System). The high-speed rail extended the reach of this medical haven. Long-time patients who once found it too tedious to return are now taking the train and revisiting their trusted clinics they hadn't visited in years.
"We're seeing more patients from Ghaziabad and even Noida now. Some are old faces, some are bringing their children for the first time," says Anju Tyagi, who manages a small pharmacy.
A community
For locals like Bhopal Singh, a resident of Khanjarpur village, the availability of diverse medical services in Modinagar is a lifeline. "I can get everything done here —consultations, tests, medicines — and at a cost that doesn't break the bank.
We don't need to go to Ghaziabad or Meerut," he says.
This sentiment resonates with Priyanka, a Modinagar resident who had brought her son for a paediatric checkup. "I've been visiting the same paediatrician for years. Even as new clinics open, we stick to the doctors we know because they treat us like family," she shares.
Modinagar's doctors form a close-knit community that thrives on collaboration. "The doctors' community is very strong here and all of us have set up our practice in the same 3km radius as doctors usually like to stick together.
Even though it may look like there must be a lot of competition, that is not the case," said Dr. Yogesh Singhal, who started the Pyarelal Hospital in 2005. "We share resources and refer patients to each other, ensuring they get the best possible care.
It's not just about competition; it's about serving the community," said Dr Singhal, who is also the president of IMA Modinagar chapter.
This camaraderie extends to second-generation doctors who are returning to their roots.
Dr. Puru Tyagi, a nephrologist, moved back to Modinagar with his wife, an obstetrician, after practicing in Bengaluru from 2017 to 2021. His father Dr Satish Tyagi set up his clinic in Modinagar in 1985 while his mother, a gynaecologist, worked at the Modi Eye Hospital. "I realized that Modinagar offers a unique opportunity to practice ethically and build lasting relationships with patients.
The cost of living is low, and word-of-mouth referrals keep our practices thriving," he explains.
The cost-effectiveness of healthcare in Modinagar is a significant draw too. "Treatments here cost about one-third of what you'd pay in Ghaziabad or Delhi," says Dr. Satendra. "For the rural population, this affordability combined with quality care is invaluable."
Most hospitals are ailment-specific, catering to specific needs rather than offering comprehensive multi-specialty care. Locals, for instance, know which hospital is best for orthopaedic treatment and which one to visit for kidney stones.
This specialization has allowed multiple facilities to coexist, each carving a niche for itself and collectively turning the area into a dense and trusted healthcare hub.
The challenges
Despite its success, the place faces certain challenges. Advanced medical equipment and super-specialty treatments are still limited due to high costs and lower returns. "We don't have facilities for cardiac surgeries or neurosurgeries," says Dr Yogesh Singhal. "These require expensive equipment, and the patient volume doesn't justify the investment. But we focus on delivering personalised care, which is just as important.
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