Mohalla Clinics near Arogya Mandirs to be shut in Delhi

The Delhi government plans to withdraw Mohalla Clinics from areas where Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAMs) are being set up, as both serve the same purpose—providing primary health care

The Delhi government will withdraw the existing Mohalla Clinics in areas where Ayushman Arogya Mandirs are coming up as both largely serve the same purpose of providing primary health care, according to the minutes of a meeting held to discuss operationalisation of Urban Ayushman Arogya Mandirs.

A Mohalla Clinic in Delhi. (HT Archive)

The Delhi government plans to withdraw Mohalla Clinics from areas where Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAMs) are being set up, as both serve the same purpose—providing primary health care—according to minutes of a meeting accessed by HT.

AAMs are being established under the Centre’s Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM), which was announced after the BJP’s victory in the February 2025 Delhi elections.

At the April 17 meeting, chaired by Delhi health minister Pankaj Singh, it was decided that Mohalla Clinics located in the vicinity of new AAMs would be phased out as the latter could cater to the same demography.

“The Mohalla Clinics in the vicinity should be withdrawn if the Ayushman Arogya Mandirs can cater the same population of that particular area,” read the minutes prepared on May 7.

It was also noted that 1,139 sub-centres have been approved for AAMs across Delhi, while 123 Primary Health Centres (PHCs) have been cleared under the National Health Mission for the 2025-26 financial year.

Of the 553 existing Mohalla Clinics, only 11 are housed in government buildings. In March, health minister Pankaj Singh announced that around 250 Mohalla Clinics functioning on rented properties will be shut.

Officials said 70 locations have already been identified for conversion to AAMs, and the Public Works Department (PWD) was instructed to complete this work by the third week of May. HT had onApril 25reported that the deadline for completing the first 70 AAMs was May 31.

The minutes also stated that doctors and paramedical staff currently employed at Mohalla Clinics would continue under existing terms for up to a year, or until new AAM staff are appointed. A sufficient notice period would be given before de-empanelment, as per contractual terms.

Officials further recommended that new hiring follow Delhi State Health Mission norms. “Recruitment may be done by the respective districts under the supervision of District Magistrates,” the minutes said. The minister directed officials to submit a detailed proposal on this.

The meeting also reviewed progress on 11 Integrated Public Health Laboratories (IPHLs) set up under PM-ABHIM. Officials said Rajiv Gandhi Super Specialty Hospital in Tahirpur, Shahdara, had been chosen as the site for a model IPHL, with assessments already completed. Nine other hospitals in nine districts have been identified for IPHLs.

As New Delhi district lacks a hospital, the Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO) has been directed to explore facilities for setting up or upgrading an IPHL.

The phased removal of Mohalla Clinics—a flagship health initiative of the erstwhile Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government—marks a significant shift in the Capital’s healthcare infrastructure, as the BJP-led Centre’s scheme takes root.

The final decision, according to officials, hinges on whether AAMs can fully absorb the patient load and maintain service quality in areas previously served by Mohalla Clinics.