First civic hospital for birds and animals in Delhi to come up in Vasant Kunj

Commissioner Gyanesh Bharti said that Delhi Development Authority allocated 483 square metres of land in Vasant Kunj on which the veterinary department will set up the hospital

The South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) decided to set up the first municipal hospital for animals and birds hospital in Vasant Kunj, officials said Friday.

Currently, the three municipal corporations of Delhi do not operate any animal or bird hospitals, but the Delhi government’s animal husbandry department does operate dispensaries for animals. (Picture for representation only/HT Archive)

Commissioner Gyanesh Bharti, while delivering his annual budget for 2022-23 said that Delhi Development Authority allocated 483 square metres of land in Vasant Kunj on which the veterinary department will set up the hospital.

Currently, the three municipal corporations of Delhi do not operate any animal or bird hospitals, but the Delhi government’s animal husbandry department does operate dispensaries for animals.

Dr Ravindra Sharma, director of veterinary services, SDMC, said that the project is in the nascent stage and a three-storey building complex will be set up in Vasant Kunj, where the hospital will be developed in public-private partnership (PPP) mode. “The project will be carried out in PPP mode, just like the pet crematorium that is being set up in Dwarka sector 29. The ground floor of this facility will be reserved for the treatment of birds with an equipped laboratory for blood sampling and analysis, surgery stations, and advanced diagnostic tools,” he added.

Another municipal official said that DDA allotted the plot in Vasant Kunj to the civic body last year and the department has sought a no-objection certificate from the land-owning agency for developing the hospital.

“There are some charitable hospitals for birds like Charity Birds Hospital near Lal Jain temple in Chandni Chowk and a few private pet hospitals in south Delhi which offer treatment at high rates. The dispensaries run by the animal husbandry and dairying departments mostly cater to cattle or horses. We hope to provide subsidised healthcare for pets in the Vasant Kunj facility,” the official said, requesting anonymity.

Municipal officials said that while the three corporations currently don’t have any such facilities, the erstwhile unified MCD used to operate 23 dispensaries and animal hospitals till 1992.

“The units were operating in municipal buildings with our staff while the doctors deputed in these units were from the Delhi government. A policy decision was taken to transfer all these units in 1992 to the Delhi government and we haven’t had any animal hospitals since 1992,” the official quoted above said.