Outrage Over Demolition of Historic Hospital in Kapurthala for New Medical College
Outrage as Kapurthala’s 90-year-old British-era hospital razed for medical college
Hindustan Times
Image: Hindustan Times
The demolition of a nearly 90-year-old British-era hospital in Kapurthala, India, to make way for a new medical college has sparked outrage among local residents, historians, and members of the royal family. The new facility, costing ₹275 crore (approximately $33 million USD), is set to include a 300-bed hospital and a medical college by March 2028, but critics argue that the heritage site should have been preserved.
- 01The new Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji State Institute of Medical Sciences will replace the Randhir Jagatjit Civil Hospital and will include 100 MBBS seats.
- 02The original hospital was commissioned by Maharaja Jagatjit Singh and built between 1937 and 1941, featuring significant architectural elements.
- 03Historians and local leaders criticized the lack of consultation with heritage experts before the demolition.
- 04BJP state vice-president Jasmine Sandhu Sandhawalia highlighted the historical significance of the Lady Linlithgow Tuberculosis Hospital.
- 05Congress MLA Rana Gurjeet Singh plans to advocate for the preservation of the remaining structure's facade.
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The demolition of the nearly 90-year-old Randhir Jagatjit Civil Hospital in Kapurthala, Punjab, has incited significant backlash from historians, local residents, and members of the royal family. The district administration is clearing the site to construct the Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji State Institute of Medical Sciences, a ₹275-crore (approximately $33 million USD) project that will feature a 300-bed hospital and accommodate 100 MBBS students. The project is expected to be completed by March 2028.
Originally commissioned by Maharaja Jagatjit Singh and built between 1937 and 1941, the hospital complex included three major blocks, with the Lady Linlithgow TB Clinic being the only remaining structure after the demolition. Critics, including historian Harbir Inder Singh, have expressed disappointment over the lack of consultation with heritage experts prior to the demolition, arguing that the government should have preserved the building, which had been restored just six years ago. Local leaders, including BJP's Jasmine Sandhu Sandhawalia and Congress MLA Rana Gurjeet Singh, are advocating for the preservation of the remaining clinic as a medical heritage museum, emphasizing its historical significance in public healthcare during the Maharaja's reign.
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The demolition of the historic hospital could lead to the loss of cultural heritage and identity for Kapurthala, affecting local pride and historical preservation efforts.
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