256-room hostel for doctors coming up at PGIMER Chandigarh

PGIMER has announced to construct a new hostel with 256 rooms for its resident doctors to meet the growing demand for on-campus accommodation.

The proposal for the fourth hostel was approved after an agenda for the “Construction of the doctor hostel block at PGIMER” was tabled in a meeting of the Standing Finance Committee (SFC) in April.

With a current strength of 1,652 residents, including DM/MCh senior residents, MD/MS junior residents and PhD/MDS scholars, the institute faces acute shortage of hostel accommodation, with only 807 hostel rooms available for doctors, leading to a satisfaction level of only 48.85%.

Due to the shortage, doctors are alloted hostel accommodation based on a priority list. Meanwhile, the allotment of rooms to MD/MS students in all existing hostels — Kairon Block Hostel, Old Doctors Hostel and Sanjeevni Hostel — is made according to the merit in the entrance examination.

The proposed hostel will comprise four blocks, each with a basement, ground floor and three additional floors, covering a total area of approximately 13,312 square metres. The hostel will have 64 units, and each unit will have two rooms, a pantry and a washroom facility. An estimated budget of ₹101 crore has been framed for the project, based on the CPWD Plinth Area Rates of 2023.

This expansion is designed to not only improve the efficiency and well-being of the residents but also to reduce the recurring expenditure on House Rent Allowance (HRA) currently provided to them.

“With the introduction of our new hostel block, we are addressing the space and accommodation challenges faced by our residents. This state-of-the-art facility will not only provide a comfortable living environment but also support our residents’ academic and professional growth,” said Dr Vivek Lal, director, PGIMER.