Panchkula: Patients and visitors to Panchkula’s civil hospital in Sector 6 are facing severe inconvenience due to caved-in roads, closed entrances, broken speed breakers, and unhygienic conditions across the premises.Gate No. 1 has remained shut since its caved-in approach road went unrepaired, while visitors using Gate No. 2 must navigate a long-damaged entrance stretch, obscured signage, and a broken iron speed breaker.Inside the premises, unpaved or damaged road patches and open road gully chambers pose safety hazards for elderly patients and children.Litter and garbage have accumulated around the two canteens, turning muddy during rain. Additional maintenance issues include a broken boundary wall and uncollected horticulture waste dumps.Public outrage and probe demandedThe crumbling infrastructure follows multi-crore renovation works executed last year after directives from the Haryana Human Rights Commission.“Panchkula’s civil hospital is a massive facility visited by thousands of patients and residents daily. It is situated in Sector 6, an upscale area, and sees constant movement of high-ranking officials from the district and across Haryana. What is most distressing is that despite hundreds of crores of rupees ostensibly being spent on maintenance, patients and the public are forced to endure such appalling conditions,” commented Rakesh Aggarwal, member of Panchkula Vikas Manch.Demanding an inquiry into maintenance fund allocation, local resident Dev Raj Sharma questioned the lack of accountability.“It seems there is no accountability or oversight regarding the funds allocated for maintenance. This lack of scrutiny leads to such a deplorable state of affairs, which persists year after year. Who is responsible for all this? We urge the chief minister, health minister and chief secretary to order an investigation by the CM Flying Squad and Anti-Corruption Bureau into the activities of the past few years,” he added.‘Issues already raised’Addressing the allegations, principal medical officer (PMO) Dr RS Chauhan stated that the hospital has actively raised these issues with the relevant authorities.“For road works, over Rs 80 lakh is to be undertaken by the Haryana Agricultural Marketing Board. For other issues, we have a shortage of staff and have written to the relevant authorities in this regard. For various other civic works, we have been requesting action from different departments, including the municipal corporation, as per their jurisdiction,” he said.
