Tripura CM Dr. Manik Saha inaugurated the Bharat Mata Canteen-cum-Night Shelter House at GBP Hospital, built at a cost of Rs. 4.99 crore. The facility will provide affordable meals at Rs. 10 and overnight accommodation at Rs. 20 for patient attendants, strengthening healthcare support and welfare services.
Fulfilling an important poll promise, Tripura Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha on Wednesday inaugurated the newly constructed Bharat Mata Canteen-cum-Night Shelter House at GBP Hospital in Agartala, providing much-needed affordable food, accommodation and security facilities for family members accompanying patients.
The modern facility has been constructed at a cost of Rs. 4.99 crore with the objective of ensuring greater convenience for attendants who often have to stay at the hospital for extended periods while their family members undergo treatment.
Speaking at the inauguration programme, Dr. Manik Saha said the government had prioritised the comfort and welfare of people accompanying patients admitted to GBP Hospital. Under the new arrangement, attendants will be able to access meals for just Rs. 10 and overnight accommodation for Rs. 20.
The Chief Minister said the facility has been designed with modern amenities and will provide a safer and more convenient environment for patient attendants. He also emphasised that adequate attention must be given to the security of those staying at the shelter house.
Following the inauguration, Dr. Saha inspected different rooms and sections of the shelter house. He interacted with officials and enquired about the infrastructure, available services and facilities to ensure that the building is equipped to meet the needs of patients’ family members.
Agartala Municipal Corporation Mayor Dipak Majumder, Health Secretary Kiran Gitte, senior officials of the Health Department and other dignitaries were present during the inauguration programme.
Dr. Saha urged the concerned authorities to ensure proper maintenance and effective operation of the Bharat Mata Canteen-cum-Night Shelter House. He also stressed the importance of installing sufficient CCTV cameras and establishing a dedicated command centre to strengthen security and enable effective monitoring of the premises.
The Chief Minister further appealed to local elected representatives and other stakeholders to regularly monitor the facility and ensure that it continues to be properly managed and operated for the benefit of patient attendants.
Highlighting the government’s broader efforts to improve accommodation facilities for people in urban areas, Dr. Saha said around 12 shelter houses are being constructed under the Tripura Urban Livelihoods Mission (TULM). Work on 11 of these facilities has already been completed, while nine are currently operational. The process of opening the remaining two shelter houses will begin shortly. The total expenditure for these shelter houses stands at Rs. 26.88 crore.
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Dr. Saha also highlighted several initiatives aimed at strengthening Tripura’s healthcare infrastructure. He announced that the foundation-laying ceremony for a 100-seat medical college in Dhalai district is expected to be held within the next few days.
The Chief Minister said trauma care and cardiac care centres are important benchmarks for a modern healthcare system. Accordingly, the state government has taken necessary steps to introduce such facilities in all sub-divisional and district hospitals across Tripura.
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The inauguration of the Bharat Mata Canteen-cum-Night Shelter House marks another step towards providing affordable support services to families accompanying patients and strengthening the state’s healthcare infrastructure alongside medical treatment facilities.
