Minister orders PHCs in all 200 divisions of city

State Municipal Administration and Water Supply Minister KN Nehru has instructed the Greater Chennai Corporation to open urban primary health centres (UPHC) in all the 200 divisions in the city.

While primary health centres benefitted the public during the pandemic, presently there are only 140 primary health centres in the city. The corporation should devise plans to increase the hospitals to 200 so that all the divisions will have one primary health centre, Nehru instructed the officials during a meeting on Monday.

Citing the delay in implementing the bio-mining project to reclaim the Kodungaiyur dumping yard, the minister instructed the civic body to start the work by floating tenders soon. Instructions were given to coordinate with other departments to complete ongoing bridge works.

“Pointing out that the public toilets are poorly maintained in the city, the minister directed to renovate such facilities that are in bad condition apart from creating new public toilets in slum areas,” an official, who took part in the meeting said.

Apart from this, instructions have been given to start the renovation of roads, walkways, construction of fish market on Loop Road, creation of 42 parks, renovation of Victoria Hall and other projects under Singara Chennai 2.0.

Nehru said more than 70 lakh doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in the city by government and private hospitals.

Meanwhile, Chennai Corporation Commissioner Gagandeep Singh Bedi held a review meeting with contractors and imposed Rs 4.50 lakh penalty against 10 contractors, who failed to complete the stormwater drain project in Kosasthalaiyar river basin, water bodies restoration project and Mambalam Canal restoration works. Also, notices have been given to other contractors.