Kottayam: Kerala Health Minister K. Muraleedharan has sought a Vigilance probe into the construction of the Rs 270-crore Surgical Block of Kottayam Medical College, in a letter written to Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala on Thursday (November 5), IANS reported. The Minister has called for a comprehensive investigation into alleged construction irregularities, technical defects, lapses in execution and supervision, and possible financial wrongdoing.

Source: IANS

The Surgical Block was inaugurated on February 16, 2026, by the then Left government. Within months of the block being opened, portions of its ceiling collapsed repeatedly, raising serious questions about the quality of construction and the safety of patients, doctors and hospital staff. During the recently concluded Assembly session, Muraleedharan had taken a jibe at the opposition CPI-M, joking that the building inaugurated by the previous Left government had started falling apart.

Source: IANS

Apart from the ceiling collapses, defects have reportedly been found in the civil, plumbing and electrical works of the building. The investigation sought by the Minister will examine whether the construction followed approved technical standards and whether proper quality checks and supervision were carried out. He has also sought scrutiny of the financial transactions connected with the project.

Source: IANS

Alongside the Vigilance request, Muraleedharan has directed the Health Department's Additional Chief Secretary A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish to appoint a technical committee to inspect the building and assess its structural safety. The committee has been asked to identify construction defects and ensure they are rectified, and urgent safety measures have also been sought. The Minister wants the technical inspection and the Vigilance investigation completed without delay.

Source: IANS

This is not the first probe Muraleedharan has sought: the others include the purchase of hospital furniture in Ayurveda hospitals, alleged irregularities involving Oushadhi, the KMSCL bleaching powder purchase and the Covid-19 purchases. The Vigilance probe into the surgical block will formally begin only if the Home Department acts on the Health Minister's letter; the alleged irregularities have not yet been established by any investigation.