Tamil Nadu Plans ₹300 Crore 400-Bed Hospital in Perambur as State Expands Healthcare Infrastructure

Tamil Nadu is set to strengthen its public healthcare infrastructure with a new 400-bed multi-speciality government hospital in Perambur, Chennai, at an estimated cost of ₹300 crore. The proposed facility is aimed at improving access to specialised medical treatment for residents of North Chennai and reducing pressure on existing government hospitals in the city.

The hospital is part of a wider set of healthcare measures announced by the Tamil Nadu government on 19 August. The state has also increased the annual coverage under the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme from ₹5 lakh to ₹25 lakh. The fivefold increase is intended to provide greater financial support to eligible families facing expensive medical treatment.

The Perambur hospital is expected to address a significant healthcare access gap in North Chennai. Government Stanley Medical College and Hospital currently serves the area but faces a heavy patient load. Patients requiring specialised treatment may also need to travel to facilities such as the Government Multi Super Specialty Hospital at Omandurar and the Kalaignar Centenary Super Specialty Hospital in Guindy.

The proposed facility could therefore help bring multi-speciality treatment closer to communities in northern parts of the city. It is also expected to reduce the burden on larger tertiary-care hospitals by providing another government facility for patients requiring specialised services.

The state’s healthcare expansion goes beyond the new hospital. Tamil Nadu has announced an allocation of ₹673.44 crore for the Chief Minister’s Cancer Care Mission. A dedicated cancer treatment section is planned at Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital in Chennai at a cost of ₹471.98 crore. The proposed building will have a ground floor and 14 upper floors.

Regional Cancer Centres are also planned at government medical colleges in Thanjavur, Coimbatore, Madurai, Tirunelveli and Villupuram. The first phase includes a centre at Madurai Rajaji Medical College, with an estimated investment of ₹84 crore. The state has additionally earmarked ₹106.17 crore for robotic surgery systems, Linear Accelerators, modern medical equipment, targeted therapy and immunotherapy at government medical college hospitals.

The government has also announced measures aimed at strengthening preventive healthcare. HPV DNA screening is planned for 1.22 lakh women across Dharmapuri, Villupuram, Tiruvannamalai, Perambalur and Ariyalur, with an allocation of ₹8.70 crore. The screening programme is intended to support earlier identification of cervical cancer risks.

Medical education is another part of the expansion. Tamil Nadu plans to establish seven new nursing colleges and create 660 BSc Nursing seats. Additional seats are also planned in existing nursing colleges, along with new places for physiotherapy and pharmacy courses. The government has allocated ₹351 crore towards these measures.

For Chennai, the Perambur hospital could become an important addition to the city’s public healthcare network. For Tamil Nadu, the wider package signals an effort to expand hospital capacity, specialist treatment, cancer services, preventive screening and healthcare training at the same time.

The developments also highlight the growing need for healthcare infrastructure to keep pace with urban populations and rising demand for specialised treatment. By adding facilities in areas that already face pressure on existing hospitals, the state is seeking to make public healthcare more accessible while expanding its capacity for complex medical care.