Muktsar and Gidderbaha Clash Over Location of Proposed Critical Care Unit

• Apr 28, 2025

The battle over the proposed Critical Care Unit (CCU) under the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PMABHIM) is intensifying between Muktsar and Gidderbaha, with leaders and residents from both towns vying for the project.

Former Gujarat Chief Minister and BJP’s Punjab affairs in-charge Vijay Rupani has thrown his weight behind Muktsar, writing to Union Health Minister JP Nadda to advocate for the establishment of the CCU there. His intervention has raised hopes among Muktsar residents, who have been pushing hard to secure the project.

Balwinder Singh Minkal Bajaj, a prominent figure leading the campaign, said, "The residents of Muktsar are making every possible effort to get the CCU built here. We have even filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Punjab and Haryana High Court to expedite the process."

Meanwhile, Gidderbaha’s push for the CCU is gaining momentum as well. Social activist Abhay Dhillon, nephew of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Hardeep Singh 'Dimpy' Dhillon, has publicly appealed to BJP leaders and former Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal to support the setting up of the facility in Gidderbaha.

During a recent visit to Muktsar, State Health Minister Dr. Balbir Singh explained that the project could not proceed there due to a lack of available land at Muktsar Civil Hospital. He confirmed that, given the approaching March 31 deadline and land constraints, the CCU would now be built in Gidderbaha, where suitable land is available.

Muktsar residents, however, are not giving up without a fight. Angered by the shift, they organized a protest march and have written appeals to the Prime Minister, Chief Minister, and other key officials to halt the project’s relocation.

Dr. Jagdeep Chawla, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of Muktsar, reiterated that the absence of appropriate land had left authorities with no option but to reassign the project to Gidderbaha.

As tensions escalate, the fate of the critical healthcare facility remains uncertain, with both towns standing firm on their demands.