The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Association of Victims of Uphaar Tragedy (AVUT) to inspect trauma centres reportedly built from the funds deposited by real estate barons Gopal and Sushil Ansal in memory of those who died in the 1997 fire incident.
A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant, Ujjal Bhuyan, and N Kotiswar Singh directed senior advocate Jayant Mehta, appearing for AVUT, to depute representatives for visiting the facilities. The Delhi government has claimed that three trauma centres were constructed from the ₹60 crore paid by the Ansal brothers, as directed by the apex court in 2015.
“You visit these trauma centres and if anything needs to be strengthened, then court can pass necessary directions,” the bench observed, while suggesting that AVUT might consider drawing the long-standing dispute to a close, since “there was no point reminding people about the tragedy.”
Mehta, however, expressed dissatisfaction, stating that the directions issued in 2015 were not complied with in spirit. He argued that the Ansal brothers were “let off without consequences” and that the fine amount appeared to have gone into a “blackhole.” He added that the Delhi Vidyut Board had been ordered to allot five acres of land in Dwarka for a dedicated trauma centre, which never materialised.
Additional Solicitor General Archana Pathak Dave, appearing for the Delhi government, confirmed that the ₹60 crore was indeed paid and utilised. She said the money was directed towards trauma facilities at three hospitals—Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital, Mangolpuri; Satyawadi Raja Harish Chander Hospital, Narela; and Siraspur Hospital.
The government submitted that these locations were chosen to serve high-density and underserved areas of Delhi. It added that the Indira Gandhi Hospital in Dwarka, which became operational in May 2021 with 1,241 beds (including 330 ICU beds), also provided emergency services for residents of Dwarka and adjoining regions.
Justice Kant remarked that the amount of ₹60 crore was “peanuts” compared to the overall cost of building and maintaining hospitals in the capital, noting that the state government had supplemented the fund with additional resources.
The bench clarified that it was not reopening the 2015 judgment but only concerned with ensuring that trauma facilities were functional and adequately equipped. It asked AVUT to verify the availability of emergency services, response systems, and ambulances at the designated centres.
On September 22, 2015, the Supreme Court had directed that a trauma centre be completed within two years in Dwarka, in memory of the 59 people killed in the Uphaar cinema fire. While nearly a decade has passed since the fine was deposited, AVUT has maintained that the specific project envisaged in the judgment has not been fulfilled.
The matter will now proceed based on AVUT’s inspection of the trauma centres and its report to the apex court.
