Expressing concern over
the prolonged delay, a bench comprising Justices Prathiba M. Singh and Manmeet
P.S. Arora recently directed the Delhi government to fast-track the pending
work and ensure that the long-delayed revamp is brought to a conclusion without
further lapse.

According to The Times of India, the court said, “As
a substantial amount of expenditure of more than Rs 550 crore was already made
in this project, the said hospital ought to be completed at the earliest so
that it can be made operational,” the court observed. The High Court was
reviewing the progress of the hospital. This two-judge bench of
the Delhi High Court was reviewing the progress of incomplete or
under-construction hospitals in the city. During this review, the court said,
“One of the
main projects where there is a lack of clarity is Lok Nayak Hospital, which is
stated to be partially constructed.”

Responding to a query from the High Court, Delhi government’s Health Secretary Nikhil Kumar stated
that the new block for Medicine, Maternity, and Pediatric centres at Lok Nayak
Hospital had been constructed to a certain extent, but work had stalled due to
budget constraints and other reasons. The court then ordered a meeting of PWD
and Health Department officials to be convened immediately to decide on
resuming the work and requested a status report.

The case is related to a
suo motu petition initiated in 2017 after allegations regarding the lack of
critical care facilities in government hospitals. At that time, the court had
directed the AIIMS Director to implement the recommendations of the Dr. SK
Sarin Committee. The committee had highlighted several shortcomings in the
healthcare system, such as vacant positions, a shortage of faculty, and
infrastructure problems.

The new block of Lok
Nayak Hospital, being constructed by the PWD, was approved in November 2020. It
was planned to have 22 floors, 1,570 beds, and parking for approximately 400
vehicles. Construction was supposed to be completed within 30 months, but work
stopped at the end of 2023. According to government records, 64% of the work
had been completed.

Later, the PWD cited cost escalation as the reason for the
delay. The initial project cost was Rs. 465 crore, which increased to Rs. 1,135
crore, a rise of more than 140%. The hospital’s modern
infrastructure requirements are not fulfilled due to the stalled project, which was meant
to boost capacity to over 3,500 beds to meet growing healthcare demands. A 2024
proposal by the lieutenant governor to involve the Central Vigilance Commission
in a detailed examination is still pending inquiry.