Karnataka’s Rs 200 crore hospital project in limbo

The health department’s plan to build a 250-bedded multi-speciality hospital in Yeshwantpur constituency remains uncertain.

The department has floated a tender to construct the facility at Rs 89 crore, even before taking custody of the land required for the project. However, the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) has refused to part with its 2.6 acre land in Ullal for free, which is essential for the project.

Although the market value of the land is valued at Rs 60 crore, the BDA has allotted a civic amenity (CA) site in the 3rd Block of Sir M Visvesvaraya Layout to the Health and Family Welfare Department for a subsidised rate of Rs 9 crore in December 2021, following a request from Yeshwantpur MLA and Co-operation Minister, S T Somashekar.

Seven days after floating the Rs 89-crore tender on February 21, 2023, the health department wrote to BDA seeking transfer of the land for free. Written by Anil Kumar T K, Principal Secretary to the Department of Health and Family Welfare, the letter was dated February 28.

“The construction of a 250-bedded hospital and a housing facility will be taken up in two phases at a total cost of Rs 209.8 crore. Tenders for the first phase of civil work have been already called. The multi-speciality hospital will serve residents residing around Mysuru Road, Magadi Road and Tumakuru Road,” the letter stated.

It is learnt that the health department’s previous attempts to get the land for free from the BDA did not fructify since the agency had invested heavily to acquire the land from farmers, create the layout and protect the vacant land from encroachment.

Anil Kumar, however, told DH that he was confident of getting the land for free. “I am in touch with the BDA (over the matter),” he said.

Sources in the civic body said the BDA (Allotment of Civic Amenities Site) Rules, 1989 has no provisions to transfer land to an organisation or department for free. The rules stipulate that CA sites must be allotted on a lease for a fee prescribed in the BDA Act.

Delaying tactics?
B M Shivakumar, convener of Jayaprakash Narayana Vichara Vedike, suspected that the health department is deliberately delaying the hospital’s construction by asking prime land for free.

“Since its formation, the BDA did not give any land for free even to freedom fighters,” he said. “When the health department can spend Rs 200 crore on the hospital’s construction and float tenders in a hurry, what stops it from paying Rs 9 crore?”

Stating that surrounding areas of Ullal do not have a government hospital, he said members of over 20 Residents’ Welfare Associations have planned to hold a protest in Anand Rao Circle on March 20 against the health department’s dual stand.

Total recall
December 2021: BDA allots 10,525 sqm of land to the health dept at subsidised cost of Rs 9 crore.

February 27, 2023: Health dept floats Rs 89-cr tender to construct multi-speciality hospital on the BDA alloted land in Ullal, without taking possession of the land.

February 28: Health dept writes to BDA, seeking 2.6 acres free of cost.

March 8: Last date for submission of bids.

March 8: BDA insists 2.6 acres cannot be given free. Deccan Herald