CHANDIGARH, July 15— A transformative set of road and healthcare developments is set to roll out in the regional capital as final preparations are completed for the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. During his scheduled visit on July 17, the Prime Minister will lay the foundation stones and dedicate several high-value projects aimed at reducing public congestion and significantly expanding medical support systems. The developmental package includes a multi-lane expressway, a new bypass corridor, and state-of-the-art additions to the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research.
The upcoming developments will introduce vital clinical facilities to the premier medical institute, PGIMER, valued at 1,200 crore rupees. Among these is the 300-bed Advanced Neuroscience Centre, built at a cost of 440 crore rupees, and a 300-bed Mother and Child Care Centre costing 505 crore rupees. Additionally, the foundation stone will be laid for a 150-bed critical care hospital block under the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission to enhance regional emergency response.
Highlighting the scale of services, PGIMER Director Dr. Vivek Lal detailed the operational goals of the new maternal care facility.
“PGI manages 6,000 childbirths annually. The Mother and Child Care Centre has got state-of-the-art neonatal and intensive care units, operation theatres with comprehensive services under one roof,” Dr. Lal stated.
The expansion addresses longstanding capacity pressures, particularly in maternal care where the obstetrics and gynaecology department currently operates with a 100-bed capacity alongside an additional 30 emergency beds. Dr. Vanita Jain, head of the department, noted that approximately two-thirds of the existing space is consistently occupied. She affirmed that the 300-bed Mother and Child Care Centre will improve healthcare services.
Complementing the medical upgrades, the travel experience within the Tricity will improve through major National Highways Authority of India undertakings. The Prime Minister will inaugurate the 31.23-km, six-lane Mohali IT City–Kurali Expressway, a signal-free greenfield corridor engineered to support speeds up to 100 kmph. He will also initiate the 1,878-crore rupees Zirakpur bypass road project. This 19.2-km, six-lane access-controlled expressway will run between NH-7 in Zirakpur and NH-5 in Panchkula, systematically diverting transit traffic coming from Patiala, Delhi, and Mohali Aerocity.
