Kolkata mayor and officials visit tram depot for R G Kar medical college annexe building
Times of India | 11 August 2024
KOLKATA: Mayor Firhad Hakim and several state officials, including transport secretary Saumitra Mohan, on Saturday visited the Belgachhia tram depot to identify land to set up an annexe building for R G Kar Medical College. Earlier in the day, chief minister Mamata Banerjee had said the state planned to use the tram depot for the extension of the R G Kar campus, a stone's throw away.
The visit followed a meeting at Nabanna attended by state chief secretary B P Gopalika, Hakim and health secretary N S Nigam.The annexe could be named after the R G Kar victim, said an official, adding they discussed enhancing security at state medical colleges and hospitals. The private security agency at R G Kar was showcaused on Saturday.
The tram depot, situated on a 60-cottah plot, had not been in use for a few years. Hakim held a meeting at the depot with senior officials, including Mohan and KMC commissioner Dhaval Jain. The transport department was asked to clear the decks for the handing over of the land to the health department. A detailed project report on the new infrastructure would be filed and existing buildings there would be used, said an official.
Among the safety measures discussed at Nabanna was allocating "safe resting rooms" for women at medical colleges, deployment of woman guards at girls' hostels and a thorough background check of guards. The health secretary was asked to restrict outsiders' entry inside hospitals. Visitors' ID cards would be checked before being allowed into wards, said an official.