The fresh coat of paint fails to hide the cracks at MGM Medical College and Hospital in Sakchi on Tuesday. Picture by Animesh Sengupta

Don’t be surprised if MGM hospital starts to crumble in a few month even after a Rs 5.5-crore facelift.

The way the Sakchi hospital is being repaired leaves a lot to be desired as the chinks have already started appearing. For instance, if the freshly laid tiles have developed cracks, the peeling walls and roofs are being patched up instead of thorough plastering. What’s worse, there is no one to monitor the work.

“This cannot be called repairs. It’s an eyewash. Substandard work is being done in the guise of whitewash. Again, life of patients and hospital staff will be put at risk because the loose plaster, which is hanging dangerously from the damaged walls and ceilings, is being covered up with paint,” said a senior medical officer on condition of anonymity.

Another hospital employee posted in the administration department hinted at a financial racket. The way renovation was being carried out, he claimed, the entire job wouldn’t cost more than Rs 2 crore even though the health department had sanctioned Rs 5.5 crore.

“Nurses’ quarters, 66 in all, are lying in an equally dilapidated state. Go and see how whitewash is being done in the name of repairing. There is no one to look after the quality of work,” he rued.

Surprisingly, hospital superintendent R.Y. Chowdhury, who was appointed last month after his predecessor S.S. Prasad died of a heart attack on September 23, said he was not aware about the works that needed to be done as part of the revamp project.

“All plans and details about the ongoing renovation work are lying shut in the drawer of the former superintendent. I will look into the work order shortly,” Chowdhury told The Telegraph.

However, he admitted that the quality of work was not very good and claimed to have instructed department heads to send a report if they were not satisfied with it.

But neither has Chowdhury sent any written order to the department heads nor has he received any feedback from them. The superintendent, however, stressed he would not certify the work when the contractor came to him once the project was over.

Krishna Singh, a senior official in the engineering cell of the department of health, sports and medical education that is carrying out construction, denied that quality was being compromised.

“Everything is being done according to specifications. We are constantly monitoring the work,” Singh told The Telegraph.

MGM Medical College and Hospital, where incidents of wall and roof cave-ins were common, finally saw hope when the state health department granted it Rs 5.5 crore in May for renovation. Then superintendent Prasad had handed over the entire amount to the engineering cell, which was supposed to finish work by March 31, 2014.

Among the work that was to be done were plastering walls and fixing tiles, setting marble tiles on the floor, replacing windows and door panels and painting the four buildings and the adjoining nurses’ quarters.

Four contractors have been hired — three for plastering walls and fixing tiles and marbles and one for replacing windows and door panels.

Work at the administrative building is almost over, but it is to be seen how long it lasts.