Army Hospital

This Army Hospital is situated on Alipore Road, right near the Alipore Police Line in Kolkata. It’s an old part of the city with a lot of history in the bricks. You can see the big trees hanging over the walls outside. The humidity in Kolkata really does a number on the building, so we’re always seeing a bit of dampness on the walls during the rainy season. Inside, the hospital feels very lived-in. The hallways are wide but they get crowded with people and carts very quickly. We have those heavy ceiling fans that move the air around, though it’s still warm most of the time. The staff here talks a lot, mostly about work or where to get the best snacks nearby. Our desks are piled with papers and the staplers never seem to be where you left them. It’s a bit of a walk from the main gate to the actual wards, and we definitely get our steps in every day. The floors have those black and white tiles that look like they’ve been there for fifty years. We don’t have any polished signs or marketing posters. Most people know where we are just by word of mouth or because they’ve lived in Alipore their whole lives. It’s a busy, functional place where the tea is strong and the work never really stops. We just keep going through the day.