Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on Monday, 12 October 2026, inaugurated the new OPD Tower at Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH), marking a significant step in the state's push to overhaul its premier public healthcare institution. Health Minister Nishant Kumar was present at the inauguration ceremony.

What the New Tower Offers

The newly opened structure, identified as Tower 3, was completed under Phase 1 of PMCH's ongoing redevelopment project. The building houses a modern waiting lounge, a surgical ward with 150 air-conditioned beds, four modular operation theatres, escalators, and a rooftop helipad designed for air ambulance services — a facility that would be among the first of its kind at a government hospital in Bihar.

A dedicated OPD registration facility has been set up on the first floor of the tower, from where patients proceed to consult doctors at the OPD on the third floor. The arrangement is intended to consolidate registration and consultation within a single building, reducing the movement patients must undertake across the sprawling campus.

Registration Counters Increased, Special Provisions Made

The number of OPD registration counters has been raised from 10 to 15 to manage patient footfall more efficiently and cut waiting times. Of these, three counters have been reserved exclusively for women, and a separate counter has been designated for elderly patients and persons with disabilities.

The registration area is air-conditioned and equipped with seating for patients awaiting their turn — a relief, Health Minister Kumar noted, particularly during Bihar's intense summer and monsoon months, when patients from distant districts arrive in large numbers.

Government's Ambition: Asia's Second-Largest Hospital

Addressing the inauguration, Chief Minister Choudhary described the new OPD tower as 'an important milestone' in PMCH's redevelopment. He stated that the NDA government had undertaken the project with the stated aim of transforming PMCH into India's largest hospital and the second-largest in Asia — an ambitious target that, if realised, would position Patna as a major medical hub for eastern India.

Choudhary said the surge in patient numbers had made infrastructure expansion unavoidable, with patients regularly travelling from across Bihar's districts — and reportedly from neighbouring states — for treatment at PMCH.

Relief for Vulnerable Patients

PMCH Superintendent Dr Rajiv Kumar Singh confirmed that Tower 3 is now fully operational under Phase 1. He said the streamlined registration-to-consultation pathway within the same building would ease the burden on patients and their attendants, many of whom previously navigated multiple buildings across a congested campus.

Health Minister Kumar, who reviewed arrangements with the PMCH superintendent, said the new infrastructure would especially benefit patients from remote areas, women, and the elderly — groups that had historically faced the longest waits.

What Comes Next

The inauguration of Tower 3 represents the completion of Phase 1 of a multi-phase redevelopment. Subsequent phases are expected to further expand bed capacity, specialist services, and support infrastructure as the government pursues its larger goal for PMCH. With patient volumes at the hospital consistently high, the pace of execution in later phases will be closely watched by healthcare stakeholders across the state.