Embarrassed by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ public displeasure over poor-quality work and delays in key healthcare infrastructure projects, the State administration has now constituted a high-level committee under District Collector Kumar Ashirwad to closely monitor the ward renovation at Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) and modular Operation Theatre (OT) works at Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Hospital (IGGMCH). The move comes immediately after Fadnavis, during his recent Nagpur visit, personally inspected the ongoing projects and expressed strong dissatisfaction over the pace, planning, and quality of execution. Sources said, the Chief Minister was particularly upset with the “shabby and unprofessional” work being carried out despite repeated deadlines and substantial public expenditure.

 

According to officials, the newly-formed committee has been tasked not only with identifying the reasons behind delays and poor workmanship, but also, with ensuring that corrective measures are implemented without further loss of time. The committee is expected to function as a direct oversight mechanism, signalling the Government’s intent to tighten accountability. In a significant step, the committee has sought technical support from the engineers of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), Jamtha, which is regarded as a benchmark for modern healthcare infrastructure in the region. Committee members, along with senior faculty from both GMCH and IGGMCH, recently visited NCI to study its systems, planning methods, and execution standards. District Collector Kumar Ashirwad confirmed that, NCI engineers will now assist and guide the executing agencies involved in both projects. “Their expertise will help identify loopholes and improve the quality of ongoing work.

 

We are working on detailed planning to ensure timely completion,” Ashirwad said. Over the last two days, the Collector has convened marathon review meetings involving hospital administration, engineers, contractors, and Public Works Department (PWD) officials. The focus has been on restructuring timelines, fixing accountability, and accelerating completion of works that have already missed multiple deadlines. The Public Works Department (PWD), which has come under the scrutiny for lax supervision, has also reportedly initiated corrective measures. Recently, warning letters were issued and fines imposed on contractors responsible for delays and poor-quality execution. The constitution of the committee is being viewed as a direct fallout of Chief Minister Fadnavis’ intervention. The issue had become politically sensitive as both GMCH and IGGMCH are among Vidarbha’s most critical Government hospitals, catering to thousands of patients daily.

 

The intervention assumes significance as both, GMCH and IGGMCH, cater to thousands of patients from Nagpur and adjoining districts every day. Prolonged delays in renovation and incomplete modular OT facilities have been affecting patient services and exposing systemic flaws in project execution. The latest action is being seen as a damage-control exercise by the administration after the Chief Minister’s public displeasure, and also, as a message that, infrastructure lapses in healthcare projects will now invite direct accountability at the highest level. By bringing the Collector into the monitoring process and involving NCI experts, the Government appears to be signalling a tougher stance against inefficiency and substandard execution.