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Mohali: Paediatric services shifted as ward awaits fire NOC
Fire refuge area, ramp missing in ₹2-crore structure that is fitted with highly combustible polyurethane foam panels
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Mohali: A newly constructed paediatric ward at the Dr BR Ambedkar State Institute of Medical Sciences, Phase 6, Mohali, built at a cost of nearly ₹2 crore, has been shut barely five months after becoming operational as it failed to secure mandatory fire safety clearance. In the fourth-floor facility of the mother and child block, the process of removing beds and other equipment from the ward has already begun.
Hospital authorities clarified that no patients have been admitted to the ward since May 2026. The ward will remain closed until the fire department issues the no objection certificate (NOC).
Officials familiar with the project said several critical shortcomings were overlooked during the construction. The fourth floor, where the paediatric ward was established, doesn’t have a fire refuge area, which is mandatory under fire safety regulations. Instead, the entire floor had been covered.
The building was also fitted with polyurethane foam (PUF) panels, which are highly combustible and can emit toxic smoke if fire breaks out. In addition, no separate ramp has been provided for access to the fourth floor. The fire water tank capacity was found to be below the prescribed requirement.
Ishaan Goyal, executive engineer of the Punjab Health Systems Corporation (PHSC), said the paediatric ward was closed for want of a fire NOC. “A rectification work is underway to create the refuge area. Also, a ramp leading to the ward is being built. The work is expected to be completed in the next six months, after which the hospital will seek fresh fire safety clearance,” he said.
The construction of the ward began in 2024. After several deadline extensions, it was inaugurated on November 14, and the admission of children began from December 12. However, the facility remained functional for only about five months before admissions were suspended.
The closure has raised questions over the execution of a project that cost crores of rupees. A spokesperson for the medical college said the paediatric ward has not been permanently closed. “Since the mandatory fire NOC is unavailable, patients cannot be admitted there at present. The paediatric facility has been shifted to other floors for the time being,” the spokesperson added.
It is speculated that the vacant space will temporarily be used as a skill laboratory for training medical students until all fire safety deficiencies are rectified and the ward is cleared for operation again.
