Over 15 thatched-roof shops that are encroaching the premises of the Government Medical College and Hospital located in Orathur here have raised serious safety and operational concerns. Hospital authorities say the structures, set up without due permission, obstruct the designated ambulance pathway and violate fire safety protocols.
The hospital, which has 700 inpatient beds, receives an average of 1,500 outpatients daily, with the number rising to nearly 3,000 on peak days. The pathway in question was originally constructed to allow round-the-clock movement of fire engines around the hospital. However, the encroachments have created congestion, hampering emergency vehicle access.
Senior medical personnel told The Hindu that apart from blocking the pathway, the shopkeepers were allegedly engaged in the illegal tapping of drinking water supplied by the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage (TWAD) Board to the hospital. “It took considerable effort to bring piped water to this remote location. These encroachments are drawing water from our supply lines meant for hospital use,” the official said.
Officials also expressed concern that the shops’ thatched roofs make them highly vulnerable to fire hazards. “If a fire breaks out, it could spread quickly to the entire row of shops and potentially to the hospital buildings,” he said.
