After a Film City and an IT Park, the Chandigarh administration has now come up with a Medicity Project to be set up on a site measuring 44.8 acres near village Kishangarh to offer citizens a wide array of world class health services right in the heart of the city.

Official sources said here today that the Medicity Project has been conceptualized with elements of public private partnership in view and the selected partner will be tasked with setting up an ultra- modern health care facility with a super-specialty hospital and a multi specialty genera! hospital at the core. The vision, innovation and dynamism of the partner?consortium or a single company?are central to the project. The Administration would thus provide an opportunity for the establishment of a Medicity into which the latest international best practices would flow.

The expressions of Interests for the project were called in the month of February 2008 and 19 applicants expressed interest in the project. The Administration has asked them to submit details regarding their concept and their track record in terms of operational and financial viability etc. The Medicity Project is in fact envisaged as one where the participation of eminent experts and distinguished citizens will help choose the best contender.

Official sources clarified that by far the revenue model for the Medicity has not yet been finalized. It is only after the revenue model has been decided upon that technical presentations can be scheduled, followed by calling of the financial bids. For this an independent consultant, HDFC has been engaged.

The consultant has been asked to design a revenue model based on the project features. However, the project is still at the formative stage, with no decision having yet been finalised on these issues.

Under the Medicity project, a superspeciality hospital and a multi-speciality genera! hospital are to be set up either as two different units or as an integrated hospital with many common facilities. Over all, 25 per cent of the beds are to be reserved for ?poor-free? patients, 30% beds for general patients and 45% for private patients. The Medicity is free to have even more liberal criteria than the ones above. A system of in-built safeguards is being designed for this Project.

The Chandigarh administration would enter into a MoU laying down all the technical parameters and defining in detail the social obligations cast on the Medicity partner in near future. A system of annual social audit will be a part of the project.

The fulfillment of social obligations under the Medicity will be closely observed and governed by a Board of Governors with eminent citizens, medical experts, NGOs, social workers etc. as members, to sustain the implementation of the social commitment as per the terms and conditions laid out in the MOU for the Medicity, official sources told.

An Administrative Officer from the Chandigarh Administration will also be tasked with day to day monitoring of the social obligations. This MOU is under finalisation, and the inputs of a legal experts and the consultant will also be taken.

One of the most significant safeguards proposed under this project is that the land is to be given on Licence for a period of 33 years in the first instance, extendable further only on the satisfaction of the Chandigarh Administration.

Thus, the Medicity would not involve a sale or transfer of ownership of land. The ownership of the land would continue to vest in the Chandigarh Administration. Stiff penalties including resumption of land are a normal part of such a Licence agreement.

The ownership of the land would continue to vest in the Chandigarh Administration. Stiff penalties including resumption of land are a normal part of such a Licence agreement.

Official sources claimed that the Chandigarh Administration?s endeavour is to cater to the future health-care needs of the citizens, with social commitment at the cornerstone of the Medicity. Building more Government Hospitals poses challenges of funding, staffing and management.

The time lag of 10-15 years before such a facility can be planned, designed, built and operational zed can prove costly in terms of public health goals.