First, a plea for similar sops. Then, a plea for similar space.

The Association of Hospitals of Eastern India (AHEI) used the final day of its health fair to push for a healthcare ‘city’, on the lines of a mini information technology township.

On Friday, the conglomerate of 11 city hospitals had urged the government to grant the sector IT-like facilities.

Association representatives on Sunday discussed a mega healthcare complex with treatment of “international standards” to cater to the domestic market and attract medical tourists with chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee at Netaji Indoor Stadium.

Ruby General Hospital managing director and association president Sajal Dutta said the chief minister was “enthusiastic” about the mega-complex project, which could be done through “private-public partnership”.

The hospital association will soon submit a detailed report on the project to the government.

Dutta went on to explain the opportunity: “One has to wait for a long time and also fork out a huge sum to be operated upon in the UK or the US. A bypass surgery, which costs Rs 20 lakh in some foreign countries, can be done for Rs 2 lakh here. We can surely cash in on the situation.”

The idea is to create a huge number of beds that will allow affordable rates for the domestic market through cross-subsidy. “But the main idea is to offer international-standard healthcare in Calcutta,” stressed Dutta.

A private medical college within the complex could figure in the project plans.