The 60th meeting of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board was held here yesterday under the chairmanship of Governor N. N. Vohra, Chairman of the Shrine Board.The Board reviewed the pace of work on its various upcoming major infrastructure projects and took decisions in regard to a number of important matters.Dr. E. Sreedharan, Dr. S. S. Bloeria, Mrs. Sudha Murty, Dr. Ashok Bhan, Mr. H. L. Maini, Mr. Justice (Retd) Permod Kohli, Maj. Gen. (Retd) Shiv Kumar Sharma and Mr. B. B. Vyas, all Board Members, Mr. Ajeet Kumar Sahu, Chief Executive Officer and Dr. M. K. Kumar and Mr. Anshul Garg, Additional CEOs of the Shrine Board, attended the meeting.After viewing a detailed presentation made by the School of Planning and Architecture (SPA), New Delhi, regarding the construction of the autonomous complex of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi College of Nursing, Kakryal, and allied infrastructure, the Board approved the Master Plan as well as the architectural and structural designs of the Nursing College. It is pertinent to recall that the Board had earlier decided to appoint the School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi, for preparing the Master Plan of the Shrine area and of the Nursing College in the first instance.
From among various options presented by the Architect, appointed after following a competitive bidding process, the Board also approved the architectural design and facade of the various buildings which shall comprise the College Complex.The autonomous complex of the Nursing College shall be constructed by utilising green technologies and will comprise the administrative and academic blocks; hostels for students pursuing undergraduate, postgraduate and Ph. D courses; residential accommodation for faculty, staff and the Principal of the College; open air theatre; a facilities block comprising shops, cafeteria, recreational hall for students; playfields etc. Other works to be taken up under the Master Plan of the Nursing College include landscaping, land and road development, construction of green corridor, electric sub-station, water harvesting, sewage treatment plant and provision of solar power system for all the buildings. This entire complex, estimated to cost about Rs. 100 crore, will be constructed within the next three years in a phased manner.Keeping in view the arising residential accommodation requirements for paramedics and other staff of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Superspeciality Hospital, Kakryal, the Board approved the architectural designs for the construction of the planned residential accommodation of the Hospital staff. The Sushruta Bhawan-II and Charak Bhawan-II, both 7 storey each, will cost about Rs 15.20 crore.
The Governor directed that the construction of the entire Nursing College Complex should be done on fast track basis so that it is completed well within the scheduled time frame and ensure against any time and cost over runs. CEO was directed to ensure maximum possible utilisation of green technologies, besides rain water and solar power harvesting, in all the buildings of the Nursing College as well as in respect of the Sushruta Bhawan-II and Charak Bhawan-II.Reviewing the future requirements of the Superspeciality Hospital, Kakryal, particularly in terms of augmenting the diagnostic and treatment facilities, the Board approved the procurement of PET-CT Scanner for the Hospital which will become operational by December 2017. This facility, not presently available elsewhere in the State will, interalia, immensely help in early diagnosis of cancer.While deliberating on the Master Plan vis-a-vis future expansion of the Hospital Complex, the Board discussed the modalities for setting up of a Medical College at Kakryal and asked the CEO to take the required advance action for the execution of this flagship project of the Shrine Board.The Board also approved the issuance of NOC for construction of Railway tunnels in an area owned by the Shrine Board, as part of the Katra-Reasi sector of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link Project. The Board also approved the temporary alienation of Board’s land to the Railways for facilitating dumping of the muck to be excavated from the Tunnel Project.