Delhi’s north body to move TB clinic near Old Delhi rly stn, revamp site

The relocation, which is estimated to cost around ₹1.4 crore, is part of the civic body’s plan to generate revenue and its cost will be borne by the commercial complex developer

The North Delhi Municipal Corporation has decided to shift the municipal tuberculosis chest clinic on the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Marg near Old Delhi railway station to a new site in Angoori Bagh, paving the way for the redevelopment of the original site into a commercial complex, officials said.

A doctor checks the chest X-ray of a patient. Generally referred to as Peeli Kothi clinic in the area, the site has originally housed the tuberculosis clinic from before Independence and was later upgraded to a modern chest clinic in 1999. (AFP File)

The relocation, which is estimated to cost around ₹1.4 crore, is part of the civic body’s plan to generate revenue and its cost will be borne by the commercial complex developer.

“Tenders worth ₹86.18 crore have been issued by the City-Sadar Paharganj zone to redevelop this site and the process is likely to be completed by November 9,” said the senior municipal official overseeing the project.

Chhail Bihari Goswami, the leader of the house in the north corporation, said that the 2,307 sqm property near the Old Delhi railway station will be redeveloped on a public-private partnership (PPP) basis and the project is being taken up by the remunerative projects cell for revenue generation. “The clinic will not be closed down. We plan to shift it to another location,” he added.

Generally referred to as Peeli Kothi clinic in the area, the site has originally housed the tuberculosis clinic from before Independence and was later upgraded to a modern chest clinic in 1999. Currently, the complex also houses other associated public utilities such as a police booth, community toilet complex, a garbage receptacle and municipal store.

“North MCD intends to dispose of its property for commercial redevelopment on a freehold basis. The purchaser will be allowed to carry out construction for commercial purposes as per development control norms of the area,” the project report states.

The official explained that a maximum floor area ratio -- ratio of the building’s total floor area to the total area of the land -- of 100% is permitted on the site as per MPD-2021 norms.

As per the plan, the existing TB Chest Clinic will be shifted to the corporation’s available vacant property at Bagichi Madho Das, Angoori Bagh, near the Shri Rani Sati Ram Ram Mandir.

“The purchaser (of the site near Old Delhi railway station) will also have to renovate the property (the new one at Angoori Bagh) to suit the requirements for running the TB Chest Clinic, and the community toilet complex will be shifted to Queens road. The overall relocation cost of various facilities is expected to be ₹2.5 crore which will be borne by the purchaser in addition to ₹86.18 crore,” said the project report.

However, there has been some resistance to the redevelopment project from within the BJP.

BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said that they have appealed to the mayor to intervene in the matter as the clinic is popular among the local residents. “The TB clinic was upgraded in 1999 during the tenure of standing committee chairman Shanti Desai. We should continue its operations and name the facility after him,” he said.