Harsh Vardhan Shringla, the Rajya Sabha member, has sought defence minister Rajnath Singh’s intervention to ensure that the century-old 163 Military Hospital was not shifted out of Darjeeling.

The Indian Ex-Service League had approached Shringla on a “sensitive issue” stating that it had come to their notice that the directorate general of medical corps and headquarters, Eastern Command, had decided to shift the hospital out of Darjeeling.

The hospital is located at the Lebong cantonment, some 7km from Darjeeling town.

After that, Shringla sought the defence minister’s intervention.

“I have sought the defence minister’s intervention on the issue,” Shringla told The Telegraph over the phone from Rome, Italy.

“The proposal to move the hospital will do enormous injustice to the very large number of ex-servicemen and underprivileged people that currently benefit from its location in their area,” wrote Shringla to the defence minister in his letter dated September 15.

According to the Indian Ex-Service League more than 33,000 ex-servicemen and their families reside in the Darjeeling area.

Col (Retd) Keshab Rai, explained that the issue was “sensitive and touchy” as the military hospital gave a sense of security to army personnel.

“The hospital provides a sense of security to army personnel posted elsewhere as they know that there is a safety net for their families back home in case of emergency,” said Col (Retd) Rai.

Army veterans maintained that the hospital was also attached to their heritage.

According to them, documents suggest that the hospital was in existence as far back as 1899. “Documents suggest that in 1939 the hospital was named British Military Hospital for British Troops while an ‘Indian Wing’ was set up in 1941,” said Col (Retd) Rai.

The hospital was then changed to Combined Military Hospital in 1942 and Military Hospital Lebong in 1946.

“The name of Military Hospital Lebong was then changed to 163 Military Hospital in 1971,” said Col (retd) Rai.

In 1991 the 85-bedded hospital was downsized to 50 beds but again in 2012 the bed capacity was increased to 71.

Sources said the plan to move out the hospital from Darjeeling was in the pipeline since 2008 on grounds that the hospital load was not enough here and other places needed it more.

“The intangibles associated with the hospital must also be looked into and the shifting should be stopped,” said Col (Retd) Rai.