The Delhi High Court has directed the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) to immediately address fire safety deficiencies delaying the commissioning of the under-construction super speciality block at Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital. The court said the facility must be completed without any further delay, considering its importance to public healthcare.
A bench comprising Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia observed that completing the facility at the earliest was in the larger public interest. The court stressed that deficiencies identified by the Delhi Fire Services must be rectified promptly so that the project can be commissioned.
The court was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by civil rights organisation Social Jurist, seeking directions for the super speciality block to be made operational at the earliest.
During the proceedings, the hospital informed the court that all statutory approvals required for the facility had been obtained except the fire safety certificate.
According to the Delhi Fire Services, the hospital’s application for a fire safety certificate was rejected on March 9 after inspectors identified 20 deficiencies in the building. A second inspection conducted on July 4 found that none of the previously identified deficiencies had been rectified, following which the application was again rejected on July 22.
A third inspection was conducted on August 1. The fire department informed the court that a fresh report detailing the remaining deficiencies would be shared with the hospital authorities and the CPWD within three days.
Taking note of the delay, the Delhi High Court impleaded the CPWD’s Chief Architect as a party to the proceedings and issued notice.
The long-awaited super speciality block at Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Medical Sciences (ABVIMS) and RML Hospital is expected to strengthen specialised healthcare services once operational. The facility, estimated to cost nearly Rs 400 crore, is awaiting final fire safety clearance before it can open for patients.
The matter has been listed for further hearing on September 7. The PIL was filed through advocates Ashok Agarwal and Kumar Utkarsh, seeking directions for the nearly Rs 400-crore facility to be made fully operational at the earliest.
