The Delhi High Court, on Tuesday, called on the Delhi government to expedite the completion of several state-run hospital projects, which are currently pending and in danger of becoming obsolete structures if left in their incomplete state.
During the proceedings, a bench comprising Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet P S Arora highlighted that some hospital projects were nearly 85% complete and warned that further delays could lead to escalating costs. “The minister will have to find a way of completing the project. Huge money has been pumped in,” the bench stated.
The court’s concern stems from a suo motu case initiated in 2017 addressing the critical care deficiencies in government hospitals across the capital. In response to the court’s queries, the counsel for the Delhi government reported that a committee had been established specifically to address these issues.
However, the bench criticized the current state of the projects as “haphazard” and incomplete. According to a status report earlier filed by the Delhi government, there are plans underway for the construction of 11 “greenfield” and 13 “brownfield” hospitals in the city.
Furthermore, the court reiterated the importance of implementing the recommendations from the Dr. S.K. Sarin Committee, aimed at reforming critical care, which the AIIMS director has been directed to oversee. A review meeting involving senior city officials, including the chief secretary and the AIIMS director, is scheduled for November 8, with further hearings set for November 13.
Interestingly, the court denied a request to allow the health minister to participate in the upcoming meeting, advising that any concerns from the minister should be directed to the AIIMS director for consideration.
