Patna medicos: Spare historic bldgs

Patna: Several old buildings of the historic Patna Medical College and Hospital have been demolished as part of a mega revamp project, even as its alumni have lamented the move and issued a fervent appeal for sparing at least the “core heritage” structures of the famed institution which “tell the story of its inception”.

The first phase of dismantling began a couple of months ago to make way for modern, high-rise structures in the campus of the PMCH, which was established in 1925 as the Prince of Wales Medical College to commemorate the visit of the then Prince of Wales to Patna in December 1921.

The college was in turn born out of the Temple Medical School, set up in 1874 in Bankipore, and was conceived in 1921 to mark the visit of the royal guest to Patna.

Old medical superintendent’s bungalow, prison ward, nurses hostel, and a few other structures in the sprawling campus located on the banks of the river Ganga, have been demolished and Cottage building and nurses school will also soon be dismantled under phase one of the redevelopment project, officials said.

Members of the Patna Medical College and Hospital alumni, from Patna to London, have lamented the move to demolish old, historic structures, saying the current and future generations will be “robbed off an extraordinary piece of architectural and institutional heritage” of Bihar and India at large.

Many eminent doctors spread across the world are part of the alumni.

PMCH Alumni Association president Satyajeet Kumar Singh said, “It’s saddening that demolition is taking place in the PMCH campus and many old buildings are already lost.” —(PTI)