Old OPD Building Of Cuttack’s SCB To Be Turned Into Museum Soon

Cuttack: The 80-year-old out-patient department (OPD) building of SCB Medical College and Hospital (SCBMCH) here will soon be declared as a heritage building.

According to sources, the building will be renovated and turned into a museum.

The state government is planning to protect and preserve objects and places of significance in the new-look building.

A notification to this effect is yet to be issued, but talks are learnt to be at an advanced stage.

The state government aims to rebuild the SCB Medical College and Hospital into a world-class institution so that people of Odisha can avail of health services of international standard in Odisha.

The government is in the process of preparing a blueprint for the project.

There are more than 20 rooms on the ground floor of the old OPD building. most of those rooms are in a dilapidated condition since 2016-17.

In fact, the structure of the OPD building was declared unsafe in November 2016 by the state Works department.

The OPD building of SCB was constructed in 1940s by the Soor brothers — Rai Saheb NN Soor and Dhirendra Nath Soor. Long timber beams and iron joists on the ground floor supporting the roof. Some beams may have been replaced by iron beams, point out experts.

Going further back, during the Maratha rule in Odisha in 1800, a dispensary was set up on the premises of SCB to offer healthcare to devotees visiting Jagannath temple in Puri, especially at the time of Car festival. According to reports, the dispensary was named as Orissa Medical School in 1875 and as Orissa Medical College in 1944.

In 1951, it was renamed as Sriram Bhanja Medical College. The college was started from the building, which is the old OPD now.