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Hospitals in Maharashtra struggle with delayed maintenance and repairs
Dr Nandapurkar added that most pending tasks are related to drainage, water lines, and painting work
Public healthcare facilities across Maharashtra are grappling with serious challenges as delays in infrastructure development, repairs, maintenance, and electrical work continue to affect operations. District, rural and sub-district hospitals allege that the Public Works Department (PWD) is slow to respond, leaving essential work incomplete for months or even years, said the officials.
“The PWD officials don’t respond. Their repairs and maintenance are not done on time, and we have to wait for days, even to install basic equipment. This is creating inconvenience for patients and could be dangerous for both patients and visitors,” said Dr Ashok Nandapurkar, deputy director of health services, Thane division
Dr Nandapurkar added that most pending tasks are related to drainage, water lines, and painting work. “Several facilities have water leakage problems, which compromise infection control in hospitals. The machinery and equipment at hospitals are upgraded regularly, but the electric department of PWD never considers these changes,” he said.
At Aundh District Hospital (ADH) in Pune, critical works have been delayed for months. “The mortuary repair and augmentation of the cold storage facility have been pending for over seven months,” said Dr Nagnath Yempalle, Pune district civil surgeon.
“Two wards at ADH have been incomplete and await repair for six months due to lack of funds. Drainage and water line repairs have also been pending for six months, causing inconvenience to patients and visitors,” he said.
He also revealed that the hospital has been waiting for a fire no-objection certificate (NOC) for years. “We completed all fire compliance requirements, but we still don’t have the NOC because of delays in installing the overhead tank. We also need around 15 to 20 air conditioners for departments like ICU, blood storage, and pathology,” he said.
Dr Dilip Mane, deputy director of health services, Kolhapur division, suggested a structural change. “An independent cell should be established for the infrastructure development and maintenance of healthcare facilities. The PWD often doesn’t float tenders for electrical work alongside construction. Later, electric supply lines remain exposed, and we have to repair and conceal them again, which is essential for healthcare facilities.”
Dr Mane said delays are common. “In a few cases, the work is done on time, but in over 70% of cases, there is a delay. In over 20% of cases, the development or maintenance work takes years when we approach the PWD,” he added.
Healthcare workers warn that these lapses could endanger lives if emergencies occur or infections spread due to poor maintenance. They are urging the state government to prioritize hospital repairs and compliance, they said.
