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Anantnag, CNI: In a major healthcare boost for south Kashmir, Government Medical College (GMC) Anantnag is set to receive its first-ever Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) facility, sanctioned under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative of the Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID).
The development comes in response to sustained efforts by the Deputy Commissioner of Anantnag, Syed Fakhrudin Hamid, who had written to POWERGRID urging the installation of the MRI facility at GMC Anantnag. In response, the corporation approved the project and entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with HLL Lifecare Limited for the supply and installation of a 1.5 Tesla MRI machine.
The total cost of the project has been pegged at Rs 19.70 crore, and the installation is expected to be completed by December 31, 2025. In an official letter, POWERGRID confirmed its commitment to funding the project and ensuring timely payments to all vendors involved, adding that HLL Lifecare will not bear any financial liability related to delays or claims.
GMC Anantnag, operational since 2019, caters to hundreds of patients daily from across south Kashmir. In the absence of an in-house MRI facility, many patients are routinely referred to tertiary hospitals in Srinagar or private diagnostic centers, often paying between Rs 5,000 to Rs 8,000 for an MRI scan. This not only adds to the financial burden of the patients but also puts pressure on Srinagar’s already overstretched healthcare infrastructure.
Sources said GMC had earlier submitted quotations worth Rs 18 crore through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) for the MRI machine under the CSR proposal. While the possibility of a 3.0 Tesla MRI was initially considered, the 1.5 Tesla model was finalized due to feasibility and cost-effectiveness.
With the upcoming installation, the referral rate to Srinagar hospitals is expected to drop, offering timely diagnostic support to patients and significantly reducing travel-related hardship.
The district administration has expressed gratitude to POWERGRID, particularly its Chairman and Managing Director R.K. Tyagi, and Superintending Engineer South Kashmir, Er Altaf Khan, for their unwavering support in pushing the project forward.
Health officials termed the development a “game-changer” for the region, calling it a long-overdue facility that will bridge a critical gap in public healthcare services in south Kashmir. (CNI)