The Punjab government on Thursday, 5 November 2026 issued a Letter of Intent (LoI) for a new Medical College and Teaching Hospital at Shaheed Bhagat Singh (SBS) Nagar, marking what Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh described as a 'historic Diwali gift' to the region. The project, backed by an investment of approximately ₹160 crore, is being executed under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.

Project Structure and Key Details

The Punjab Infrastructure Development Board (PIDB) has awarded the contract to Indus Super Speciality Healthcare Private Ltd under the Design, Build, Finance, Operate, and Transfer (DBFOT) framework. Under this arrangement, the existing 150-bed District Hospital at Nawanshahr will be substantially upgraded into a National Medical Commission (NMC)-compliant 220-bed teaching hospital, supplemented by dedicated academic and residential infrastructure.

The complex will also include an advanced 30-bed Super-Specialty Cardiac Care Unit equipped with interventional cardiology facilities, including a Catheterisation Laboratory (Cath Lab) for angiography and angioplasty procedures.

Timeline and Construction Plans

While the formal timeline permits up to three years for completion, Minister Dr Balbir Singh indicated a significantly faster rollout is expected. 'Though the formal timeline allows up to three years, since the hospital building, dialysis centre, and critical care block already exist on site, construction for the medical college building will begin next month, and we expect the medical college to be operational within just a year-and-a-half,' he said.

This accelerated outlook is premised on the fact that core hospital infrastructure — including a dialysis centre and critical care block — is already in place, reducing the construction burden considerably.

Seats and State Quota Provisions

The institution will offer 50 annual MBBS seats, with 50 per cent strictly reserved under the state government quota. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government said this provision is intended to make medical education accessible and affordable for local youth, reducing the need to migrate to other states or cities for professional courses.

Impact on the Region

Minister Dr Balbir Singh highlighted that the project is expected to serve residents of Nawanshahr, Balachaur, Ropar, Garhshankar, Banga, Machhiwara, and surrounding areas within a 35 to 40 km radius. The absence of specialised cardiac care in the region had previously forced patients to travel long distances to facilities such as the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGI) in Chandigarh, or referral centres in Jalandhar, Ludhiana, and Amritsar.

'Earlier, patients suffering acute heart attacks had to be rushed all the way to PGI in Chandigarh, or distant referral centres in Jalandhar, Ludhiana, or Amritsar, often losing precious lives on the way. Now, world-class emergency and cardiac treatment will be accessible right at their doorstep within the critical golden hour,' Dr Balbir Singh said.

This comes amid a broader push by the AAP government in Punjab to expand public health infrastructure across the state, following its healthcare commitments ahead of the 2022 Assembly elections. With construction set to begin as early as next month, the pace of delivery will be closely watched as a test of the government's execution capacity.