HC vacates stay on land use changes

JAIPUR: Projects worth Rs 55,000 crore, specially drafted under the theme of 'Resurgent Rajasthan' got a fresh lease of life after the Jaipur bench of Rajasthan high court vacated the stay over land use changes across state. The recent order, issued both by Jaipur and Jodhpur benches of HC, has paved the way for transforming the state infrastructure completely and making Jaipur a medical hub. The Board of Infrastructure Development and Investment (BIDI) had cleared projects worth Rs 55,000 crore. JDA commissioner DB Gupta told TOI, "The recent court directives will accelerate the completion of projects which had been lying pending owing to the stay on land use change from agriculture, ecological, green belt, pastures, public utility to any uses. Now, we have started the process of allotment and lease grant to the concerned parties." Thus, the city is well on its way to become the medical capital of north India. Within the span of three years, Jaipur will have additional 5,000 beds in different hospitals slated to be operational by 2011. The vacation of the stay order by the HC will facilitate construction of 3,000-beded Narayan Hridayalaya super speciality hospital. The Rs 100-crore project has already had 50 acres of land allotted near Agra Road assigned by Jaipur Development Authority. Fortis, a well-known hospital chain, is coming up with a medical college-cum-hospital and the JDA has already assigned 50 acres of land near Ajmer Road. Soon, the students from north India will also get to study at the Manipal Medical and Engineering colleges in Jaipur. The JDA has already allotted 40 acres of land out of 100 acres needed by the group. Housing Board has promised to provide rest of the land requirement. Besides, the Bombay Hospital group has got 18 acres of land near Jagatpura and the Reliance group has got 60 acres in Jagatpura for its Medi-City. The much needed oncology centre by an NRI investor has been planned in Jagatpura for which land has been allotted. "Kamal Sharma Neurology Superspeciality Hospital and SPA Medical College and Hospital, for which initial formalities have been completed, together with all other upcoming projects will catapult the city to become the medical capital of north India. "Hospitals in Delhi are getting overcrowded, so in future, the patients will definitely look towards the two-tier cities and can avail world class medical facilities at economic rates here," added Gupta.
1 Jun 2008, 0603 hrs IST, Akhilesh Sourav Jha,TNN
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