Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Saturday, 11 July 2026, announced that automation laboratories will be established across five government medical colleges in the state, with a total outlay of Rs 125 crore, as part of a broader push to eliminate waiting periods for robotic surgery and MRI services in public hospitals.

Context

Posting in Hindi on X, CM Sukhu stated that his government had first introduced robotic surgery at Chamiana Medical College — a first for Himachal Pradesh — before expanding the facility to IGMC Shimla, Nerchowk, and Tanda. He wrote: 'हमारी सरकार ने हिमाचल प्रदेश में सबसे पहले रोबोटिक सर्जरी चमियाणा मेडिकल कॉलेज में शुरू करवाई' ('Our government was the first to start robotic surgery in Himachal Pradesh at Chamiana Medical College').

The Chief Minister said automation labs will now be set up in the next few months at Chamiana, IGMC Shimla, Nerchowk, Tanda, and Hamirpur — covering five major government medical colleges across the state.

Policy Backdrop

The Sukhu government, in office since December 2022, has positioned healthcare infrastructure expansion as a central plank of its administration. The phased rollout of robotic surgery across multiple campuses follows a pattern seen in several Indian states — including Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh — that have progressively introduced robotic surgical units in public medical colleges to reduce out-of-state referrals and improve precision care.

IGMC Shimla is the oldest and largest government medical institution in Himachal Pradesh, while Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Tanda serves as the primary referral centre for Kangra district. Nerchowk Medical College in Mandi district has been among the newer additions to the state's advanced surgical network.

Stakeholders and Impact

At present, patients at government medical colleges must book appointments in advance for both robotic surgery and MRI scans, often facing significant wait times. CM Sukhu said the goal is to end this delay entirely: 'मरीज आए और उसका इलाज तुरंत शुरू हो' — 'A patient should come and their treatment should begin immediately.'

The announcement directly affects patients across Himachal Pradesh, particularly those in rural and semi-urban districts who rely on government medical colleges and currently travel long distances for advanced diagnostic and surgical care. Medical college staff and surgical teams at the five institutions will also be key stakeholders in operationalising the new labs.

The Chief Minister underlined the administration's stated objective: 'हम मेडिकल कॉलेजों में प्रतीक्षा अवधि को शून्य करने लगातार काम कर रहे हैं' — 'We are continuously working to bring the waiting period at medical colleges to zero.'

What's Next

The state government has indicated the automation labs will be operationalised within the next few months, though specific commissioning dates for each college have not been announced. Independent confirmation of the Rs 125 crore expenditure and the rollout timeline will be key markers to watch as the programme progresses.

If the zero-wait target is achieved, it would mark a significant shift in the public healthcare experience in a hill state where geography has historically been a barrier to timely medical access. The broader question is whether operational capacity — trained personnel, maintenance, and supply chains for robotic systems — will keep pace with the infrastructure investment.