Cabinet clears land transfer for expansion of Prayagraj hosp

Lucknow: The UP cabinet on Monday approved the transfer of over 31,000 sqmt of land for expansion and upgradation of Swaroop Rani Nehru hospital, one of the largest tertiary care govt hospitals in the Prayagraj region.The decision was taken to facilitate expansion of medical and diagnostic facilities at the hospital, which is affiliated with Motilal Nehru Medical College and caters to a large number of patients from eastern UP as well as neighbouring Madhya Pradesh.According to an official spokesperson, the hospital campus currently lacks sufficient vacant space for further expansion despite the growing demand for advanced healthcare services. To address the issue, the govt approved the transfer of 31,314 sqmt of land connected to the hospital and Mahatma Gandhi Marg, presently under the control of the Prayagraj development administration.Officials said the land would be transferred to the medical education department on a 90-year lease at a nominal annual rent of Re 1. The transferred land, located in Nibiya area of Sadar tehsil in Prayagraj district, is linked to the existing hospital premises and is considered crucial for infrastructure expansion.The cabinet note said that the hospital, established in 1961, is the largest govt tertiary-level medical institution in Prayagraj division and receives a heavy patient influx daily from nearby districts and adjoining states for specialised treatment.With the proposed expansion, the govt aims to strengthen treatment and diagnostic capacity at the hospital and improve access to advanced medical care for patients from districts such as Pratapgarh, Sultanpur, Kaushambi, Fatehpur, Jaunpur, Mirzapur, Bhadohi, Banda and Chitrakoot, officials said.