A government hospital in Bihar's Muzaffarpur, built at a cost of crores, has become a derelict structure in the middle of a field and a haven for thieves and vandals, as it was apparently abandoned without ever being inaugurated.
The 30-bed hospital, situated on six acres in the Chand Pura area, was built in 2015 at a cost of Rs 5 crore. Although it was equipped with modern facilities, not a single patient was treated there, and the medical devices were left to deteriorate.
As it nears ten years since its construction, the hospital has not been taken over by the health department, and officials allegedly claim to be unaware of the facility.
Meanwhile, thieves have taken away the hospital's windows, door frames, doors, grills, gates, cupboards, electrical wiring, and other equipment, leaving it as a mere skeleton of its former self.
Additionally, the building, located in the middle of a field, has allegedly become a den of anti-social elements, according to locals.
The hospital campus includes three buildings --one for the residence of health workers, one for a testing centre, and the main building.
As the hospital continues to deteriorate, residents are forced to travel to the city for better treatment. According to a villager, Sudhir Kumar, the population in the area is around one lakh.
"When this hospital was being built, seeing its grandeur, the people around hoped they would no longer have to travel 50 km to the city for better treatment. But this hospital never became operational. The people here face significant difficulty travelling to the city for treatment," Kumar said.
The Sub Divisional Officer (West), Sherya, when enquired about the hospital, said she was unaware of it and termed the situation as serious. She mentioned that the District Magistrate has formed a team to investigate.
"The Civil Surgeon and the Circle Officer are investigating it at their level. Further information about the investigation will be shared with you," she added.
The fate of this hospital came to light just weeks after reports emerged of a bridge in Bihar's Araria district that stands in the middle of an open field, with no road on either side. The bridge, built at a cost of Rs 3 crore, was intended to connect two villages, but issues regarding land acquisition have left it stranded in the middle of a field.
