Canadian company eyes city for super-specialty cancer hospital

A Canadian engineering and construction company, SNC Lavalin, visited two hospitals in the city yesterday to study the feasibility of building a cancer hospital in the region. A similar feasibility check was conducted in Nagpur, where the Canadian company is interested in building a hospital.

Fingers crossed: The Aundh Civil Hospital, which was visited by the team doing the feasibility study; (inset) Dr Vinayak More, District Civil Surgeon, Aundh Civil Hospital, says a meeting in Mumbai on Monday will decide on the project. Pics/Krunal Gosavi

NT Balraj, MD of SNC Lavalin, and city experts visited Sassoon hospital and Aundh Civil Hospital yesterday to check feasibility of the proposed project.u00a0The company had sent a letter to the Directorate of Medical Education and Research on April 3, stating date and time of the team's visit to the proposed project sites in the city and Nagpur.u00a0

The team comprising of Balraj and Government Medical College professor from Nagpur Dr Krishna Kamble visited sites in Nagpur on Wednesday and the city hospitals yesterday.

The team is believed to have been tasked with site inspection, understanding requirements and feasibility of the project and to collect general infrastructural information like power, water, bio-waste treatment, etc.

"It is difficult to comment on anything as everything is in the primary stage. Nothing has been decided and the purpose of this visit was to check the availability of space for the project," Dr Vinayak More, District Civil Surgeon, Aundh Civil Hospital, said. "Things will be decided during a meeting in Mumbai on Monday. The project would be a public-private partnership."

An official, on condition of anonymity, said that there is a strong possibility that the project will come up at Aundh Civil Hospital, as the location fulfils all required criteria. "The international project requires sufficient space for its building.

As it is for cancer patients, it may also need a recreation and meditation centre. The location is well connected to all parts of the city and state and is free from air and sound pollution," the official said.

Dr Kamble said, "We are not authorised to comment, as things are at a nascent stage currently. The government will decide future course of action."
Balraj was not available for comment despite several attempts to contact him.u00a0