The institute had applied for MCI approval last year but the plea was turned down owing to lack of proper infrastructure.

Though the state government expressed hope that the institute would secure the MCI approval this year, the state health department officials do not seem hopeful. If the MCI is not satisfied with the infrastructure, the approval could be delayed for some more time again.

A major portion of 200 bighas of hospital land was leased out to a private organisation to set up a medical college in 2003. As per the agreement, the medical college was supposed to come up within three years. But the organisation failed to meet the deadline and if they do not get the approval this year too, serious questions would be raised over the entire project, said officials.

Interestingly, the MCI team had recently met the chief minister, Mr Buddhadeb Bhattachar-jee and made it clear that more medical colleges are needed in the state to cater to huge number of aspirants here. MCI also urged the state to take initiatives to set up a few private medical colleges. But at the same time the MCI made it clear that no college without the mandatory infrastructure would be granted approval.

Dr S N Bannerjee, director of medical education in West Bengal said, "MCI would soon visit the proposed private medical college and if they get satisfied the approval would be granted."