Assam health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday said that the state government has approved the construction of a new hospital with 500 bed capacity in Silchar Medical College and Hospital.

The project cost of the new hospital would be Rs 96.05 crore, Sarma added.

Sarma stated on his official Twitter handle:

‘The hospital building of #Silchar Medical College has become very old and one portion has almost become irreparable. Keeping in mind the patient load, today we’ve approved a new hospital with 500-bed capacity for Silchar Medical College with a project cost of Rs 96.05 cr.’

The old hospital of Silchar Medical College and Hospital is a 806-bedded one.

Silchar Medical College and Hospital is one of the oldest government-run medical college in the Barak Valley founded in 1968.

Sarma had earlier said that three new medical colleges each with 500 bed capacity hospital are likely to come up in Assam in the next three years

These three upcoming medical colleges include Kokarjhar Medical College, Nalbari Medical College and Tinsukia Medical College.

Sarma had also said that four more medical colleges that are coming up at Dhubri, Lakhimpur, Nagaon and Diphu will also have hospital with 500 bed capacity each.

At present there are six medical colleges in Assam – Gauhati Medical College, Assam Medical College, Silchar Medical College, Tezpur Medical College, Jorhat Medical College and Barpeta Medical College.