COIMBATORE: As part of measures to enhance healthcare infrastructure at Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH), a connecting carriage is being built between the JICA multi-speciality block and the tower two at a cost of Rs 1.67 crore. Also, work on laying concrete approach roads along with provisions for storm water drains (SWD) at a total cost of Rs 9.6 crore is nearing completion.CMCH dean Dr M Geethanjali said patients in the JICA building would have to come down to the ground floor to enter the tower 2. “This is complicated for the helpers to shift the patients from one block to the other. Once the carriage is ready, it will connect the second floor of the JICA building with the tower 2. The tower 1 is already connected with the tower 2 in a similar way, and hence all three will be interconnected,” she said.The hospital’s roads are damaged. The CMCH premises report drainage stagnation and rainwater inundation during the rainy season due to a lack of a proper SWD system and drainage connectivity.The dean said base work on road laying had been completed. She said, “The proposed concrete roads are being elevated to at least one foot to avoid stagnation, and trenches are being made for the rainwater to flow into the SWD, which is simultaneously being constructed. Drainage from individual buildings on the premises has already been connected to the underground drainage system of the corporation. So, the inundation and stagnation will be addressed before monsoon.“Officials said chief minister M K Stalin in 2024 announced allocation of funds for the hospital infrastructure enhancement, along with the provision for connecting carriages between blocks for transferring patients during the inauguration of the multi-speciality block. Work began towards the end of 2025.The connecting carriage is being built with the MLA fund of Amman K Arjunan (Coimbatore North MLA). The road and SWD project is being executed with the Tamil Nadu Health System Reform Programme funds.
