Mulling a 3,000-bed facility for patients, attendants, AIIMS tells Delhi HC

AIIMS plans a 3,000-bed shelter for patients and attendants in Delhi, aiming to replace an old facility, with court support for its swift completion.

New Delhi

The matter will be next heard on January 27. (Representative photo)

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on Friday told the Delhi High Court that it was considering establishing a 3,000-bed Vishram Sadan on a two-acre plot at its Ansari Nagar West Campus to provide shelter for shelterless patients and their attendants.

AIIMS counsel Satya Ranjan Swain submitted before a bench of chief justice DK Upadhyaya and justice Tejas Karia that the proposed shelter would be developed with the support of Ahmedabad-based Sewadaan Aarogya Foundation.

He said that site surveys, planning and statutory approvals are being jointly undertaken by AIIMS and the foundation, with the project expected to be completed within two years. The counsel said that the proposed facility is intended to replace the existing old and dilapidated 300-bed Vishram Sadan.

Taking note of the submissions, the court directed all agencies involved in the construction of the Vishram Sadan to extend full cooperation to the AIIMS administration. The court also requested the lawyers of the Delhi High Court Bar Association to contribute to the construction.

“The said step taken by AIIMS in our opinion shall go a long way in meeting the problem of homeless attendants and patients and we expect that the said facility shall come up in the minimum possible time. We may observe at this juncture that all the agencies involved, in construction of the 3000 bedded vishram sadan to be undertaken by AIIMS shall cooperate with the administration and in case, AIIMS is faced with difficulty, it will be open to move the court for support,” the court said in its order.

The submission was made in a petition, wherein the court took suo motu cognisance of inadequate night shelters in the Capital, prompted by a news report highlighting the poor conditions at a shelter located near AIIMS.

On Wednesday, the high court directed the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) to take charge of subways near major government hospitals and immediately provide beds and cold-proof tents for patients’ relatives, asserting that the denial of shelter amounts to a violation of fundamental rights. The order specifically covers areas near major government hospitals in Delhi, such as the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College, and Lady Hardinge Medical College. The court mandated that DUSIB take over these subways by Wednesday evening and erect tents or shelters with essential amenities.

To resolve the impasse, the court ordered a meeting on January 15 under the chairmanship of the principal district judge (south). The committee will include officials from hospitals, Delhi Police, DUSIB, and the Delhi Development Authority to formulate a short-term plan.

During Friday’s hearing, the Centre’s counsel, additional solicitor general Chetan Sharma, submitted that pursuant to the Delhi High Court’s directions, all subways in the area had been taken over and 17 pagoda tents—each with the capacity to accommodate 15 to 20 people—had been erected.

The counsel appearing for the Delhi Police, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) and the DUSIB further informed the court that nodal officers had been appointed and were working round the clock to ensure that any deficiencies were promptly addressed.

Considering the contentions, the court ordered another meeting under the chairmanship of the principal district judge (south) on January 24.

The matter will be next heard on January 27.