Dibrugarh, Feb 21: After seven long years, the project to convert the historic Dr John Berry White Medical School into a museum remains incomplete.
The people of Dibrugarh were waiting for the project to be inaugurated but years have passed and the project still remains incomplete and no time has been fixed for the inauguration of the project.
Meanwhile, the residents of Dibrugarh expressed dissatisfaction and angry about the delay in the renovation work.
After the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Oil India Limited (OIL) and the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) on January 10, 2018, the project has missed multiple deadlines, with no clear end in sight.
The Rs 2.1-crore initiative, funded by OIL under its corporate social responsibility (CSR) program, was originally slated for completion by April 2019. However, as of February 2025, the British-era structure continues to lie abandoned and neglected.
“It is truly disheartening to see such an important piece of our history being left in this state of neglect. The Dr John Berry White Medical School deserves to be preserved and celebrated for its contribution to medical education in our region. It is time for the authorities to prioritise the completion of the museum project and give this heritage building the attention it deserves,” Ranjan Rajkhowa, a local resident stated.
The Dr John Berry White Medical School, located beside the AT Road in Dibrugarh, holds immense historical significance.
Established in 1900, four years after the death of its founder, Dr John Berry White, the institution marked the beginning of medical education in Northeast India. Dr. White, a British surgeon who served in Assam for 24 years under the East India Company, dedicated his life savings to set up the school.
His vision not only laid the foundation for medical education in the region but also paved the way for the establishment of the Assam Medical College in 1947.
Local residents of Dibrugarh have accused INTACH of apathy and mismanagement.
“This is a betrayal of public trust by INTACH. They need to be held accountable for their failure to deliver on their promises. This building represents not just architecture, but the foundation of medical education in our region. We have watched deadline after deadline pass without any substantial progress,” another local resident further added.
Also Watch
Find latest news from every corner of Northeast India at hubnetwork.in, your online source for breaking news, video coverage.
Also, Follow us on-
Twitter-twitter.com/nemediahub
Youtube channel- www.youtube.com/@NortheastMediaHub2020
Instagram- www.instagram.com/ne_media_hub
Download our app from playstore – Northeast Media Hub
