RAURKELA, Odisha — Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi reviewed the redevelopment of two major projects in a high-level meeting at Lokaseva Bhavan, including the transformation of Hanuman Vatika in Raurkela, and issued directions to accelerate work while preserving the site's spiritual character and natural surroundings.
Orders to preserve sanctity while expanding facilities
The meeting, convened to monitor progress on the mega-redevelopment of SCB Medical College & Hospital in Kataka and the redesign of Hanuman Vatika, asked the Odisha Bridge & Construction Corporation (OBCC) to redesign the Vatika in a pure spiritual architectural style. Officials were instructed to speed up the ongoing and proposed works, including a Kalyan Mandap and other spiritual structures, while ensuring the sacred atmosphere and natural environment remain intact.
"The works must preserve the sacred atmosphere and natural surroundings," the Chief Minister directed, according to the meeting note.
Transport, parking and approach-road improvements linked to broader campus plan
On the SCB Medical College project in Cuttack, officials informed the Chief Minister that the redevelopment is progressing rapidly. Work is underway on four new clinical blocks and one residential block. The residential block is reported to be almost complete, while the clinical blocks are scheduled for completion by June next year. Impressed by the pace, the Chief Minister directed officials to identify space and prepare a proposal for one additional medicine block to strengthen healthcare services.
Majhi also focused on a multi-level car parking (MLCP) facility being built in the first phase of the project. He strictly instructed that the parking complex and the Taladanda Canal-linked traffic corridor must be completed within the stipulated timeline. Once operational, the modern parking is expected to ease daily congestion for thousands of patients, attendants and doctors at both SCB Medical and the nearby Acharya Harihar Regional Cancer Centre.
- Hanuman Vatika: OBCC to redesign in spiritual architectural style; accelerate Kalyan Mandap and other structures; preserve sacred atmosphere and natural surroundings.
- SCB Medical Campus: Four clinical blocks and one residential block under construction; clinical blocks due by June next year; proposal for an additional medicine block to be prepared.
- Transport and beautification: MLCP and Taladanda Canal traffic corridor to be completed on time; wider roads and landscaping requested for patient-friendly environment.
Urban integration and beautification around Taladanda Canal
The redevelopment plan will integrate surrounding institutions into a cohesive urban scheme. The meeting noted the need to link the medical campus with nearby institutions such as Bose Engineering School, Biju Patnaik Film & Television Institute and the Odisha State Maritime Museum to create a coordinated urban precinct. Majhi emphasised comprehensive beautification of areas flanking the Taladanda Canal, advocating wider roads, landscaping and a pleasant environment so the campus functions as a patient-friendly healing space.
The Works Department was also instructed to prepare a detailed project report for beautification and to plan wider approach roads outside Hanuman Vatika. These directions underscore the state government's dual objective of enhancing facilities while maintaining the cultural and spiritual identity of the Vatika.
| Project | Key elements | Timeline / Status |
|---|---|---|
| SCB Medical College (Kataka) | 4 clinical blocks, 1 residential block, MLCP, Taladanda Canal traffic corridor | Residential block nearly complete; clinical blocks due by June next year |
| Hanuman Vatika (Raurkela) | Redesign in spiritual style, Kalyan Mandap, approach-road beautification | Design and DPR to be prepared; works to be accelerated |
For Raurkela residents and visitors, the CM's instructions mean an imminent push on both aesthetic and functional fronts: improved approach roads and entry points to Hanuman Vatika, accelerated construction of spiritual structures inside the premises, and a commitment to maintain the site's natural and sacred character. Completion of the MLCP and the Taladanda Canal corridor in Cuttack is expected to have indirect benefits for Raurkela pilgrims and families travelling to regional medical centres by reducing congestion at major referral hospitals.
The meeting placed equal emphasis on timely execution and sensitive planning. Officials were given clear directives to expedite detailed project reports and construction schedules without compromising the Vatika’s spiritual ambience or the environmental setting along the Taladanda Canal.
Local stakeholders including devotees and civic planners will be watching the progress closely as authorities move from design to implementation phases. The state-level direction signals a prioritisation of cultural preservation alongside urban development in Raurkela's prominent public spaces.
