Madurai civic body approves land transfer for regional cancer centre at GRH

Madurai: The Corporation of Madurai has decided to transfer 86 cents of land, approximately 37,450 square feet, at Anna Bus Stand to the Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) for establishing an integrated regional cancer centre. The decision was taken through a special resolution tabled at the Corporation council meeting held at Anna Maaligai on Monday.

Mayor (in-charge) T. Nagarajan said that following a request from the Madurai District Collector, the civic body, in consultation with the state government, agreed to hand over the land. As per regulations, the sale consideration price will be fixed at ₹5,000 per square foot. Once the Corporation receives the official communication, it will issue a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) to the Health and Family Welfare Department, enabling the construction of the facility.

The Mayor also informed the council that 3.12 acres of Corporation land had already been provided to GRH earlier, with the same sale price of ₹5,000 per square foot. This indicates a consistent approach by the civic body to support the hospital's expansion.

In a separate resolution, the council authorised the employment of 220 additional Domestic Breeding Checkers (DBCs) for three months from September 1 to November 30. This measure is aimed at preventing disease outbreaks during the monsoon season, when vector-borne illnesses often see a rise.

Councillors across party lines, including those from the DMK, AIADMK, CPI(M), VCK, and Congress, welcomed both resolutions. They emphasised that establishing a cancer centre is essential given the rising incidence of the disease in the region. The facility would spare patients from travelling long distances to cities like Chennai for treatment, making advanced care more accessible to the southern districts.

GRH already functions as a referral centre for the southern districts, where complicated cases have been successfully managed by its doctors and surgeons. The proposed integrated regional cancer centre is expected to strengthen the hospital's capacity to provide comprehensive care, including diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up services under one roof.

Officials said the new centre would address the growing demand for cancer care in the region. With the land transfer approved, the state health department can now proceed with the necessary planning and construction work. The project is seen as a significant step towards improving healthcare infrastructure in southern Tamil Nadu.

The Mayor expressed gratitude to the state government and the Director of Municipal Administration for their support in facilitating the move. Corporation Commissioner Gaurav Kumar and other senior officials were present at the meeting.