Specialty hospital to come up at Nilackal for Sabarimala pilgrims

A specialty hospital equipped with state-of-the-art medical facilities is set to become a reality at Nilackal, the key base station of Sabarimala, to serve both local residents and pilgrims.

The hospital is being constructed on land allotted by the Travancore Devaswom Board at a cost of ₹6.12 crore. Health Minister Veena George will lay the foundation stone for the hospital on Tuesday. The project, which forms part of the government’s efforts to strengthen health-care infrastructure around Sabarimala, aims to provide quality medical care at the base camp itself.

The proposed hospital building, with a built-up area of 10,700 square feet, will include a reception area, police help desk, three outpatient rooms, emergency department, ICU, pharmacy, nurses’ station, laboratory, dressing and plaster rooms, sample collection area, e-health room and essential service rooms such as those for electrical panels and lifts on the ground floor.

The first floor will house an X-ray room, doctors’ room, minor operation theatre, scrub area, autoclave unit, dressing room and store room.

The foundation-laying ceremony will be held on the premises in front of the Nilackal temple. Ranni MLA Pramod Narayan will preside over the function. Anto Antony, MP, Chittayam Gopakumar, Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, and others will be present.