Goa Medical College block to be rebuilt; awaits Dean's approval

Panaji: The Goa Medical College's (Bambolim), College block is likely to be demolished by the state government soon. The structure housing five departments, in addition to three lecture halls, and is slowly crumbling. Students and staff have have expressed safety concerns with every structure that is raised to the ground. However, the administration continues to underplay the dilapidated condition.

Two lecture halls were closed after the parapet outside one of the lecture halls collapsed in the year 2016 says Jude Carvalho, a Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) official in charge of GMC maintenance.

However, a source said the same were re-opened in February and lectures are being conducted there. The building has a footfall of 600 people on a working day.

A staff member preferring to stay anonymous said several repairs to the building indicating the weakening structure. The patches of repairs, whether on the roof, walls, doors and windows stand witness to it.

"We have government approval to demolish the lecture halls," Carvalho said, adding that they are awaiting a response from the dean's office.

Dr Pradeep Naik, GMC Dean said they have some changes to the plan submitted by GSIDC for the proposed lecture halls and will meet officials to discuss this. Naik clarified that the functioning of the medical college would remain unaffected when the old lecture halls are demolished.

According to Carvalho, the new lecture halls are to be constructed at the dean's office location. He added that GSIDC had suggested a temporary shift of all sections located in the building, which houses the dean's office, to the old forensic building. "But we haven't heard from dean's office yet," Carvalho told the TOI. Naik seemed unaware of any such proposal.