Delhi’s wait for seven new under-construction hospitals has grown longer.

New Delhi Hospitals Construction Delayed, New Deadline to be Decided Soon

The construction of seven new hospitals in Delhi, aimed at strengthening the city’s healthcare services, is facing significant delays. Four of these hospitals will now be completed only by 2024, and the new deadline for the remaining three hospitals will be determined soon.

In 2019, the Delhi government initiated the construction of new hospitals in outer and North Delhi to increase the number of healthcare facilities. Alongside this, the government also expanded the capacity of several existing hospitals, such as Chacha Nehru Children’s Hospital, GTB Hospital, Dr. Ambedkar, and LNJP, by constructing new blocks. The addition of these seven new hospitals was expected to increase the number of beds in Delhi by approximately 6418, while the remodeling of existing hospitals would further raise the bed and ICU capacity to over 13,000.

The Target Completion Date was June, but the Work Remains Incomplete

The construction of the seven new hospitals in Madipur, Siraspur, Hasttal (Vikaspuri), Nangloi (Jwalapuri), Kirari, Shalimar Bagh, and Sultanpuri began in 2020. The initial target was to complete the construction between August 2022 and June 2023. However, due to unforeseen delays, the work remains incomplete.

Reasons for the Delay

The officials from the health department cite multiple reasons for the construction delays. Firstly, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the construction timeline. Additionally, the restrictions imposed due to pollution also impacted the progress of these projects. Moreover, the delay in obtaining financial approval for the schemes further hampered the construction work. Furthermore, changes in bed design for other hospitals undergoing remodeling or new block construction also contributed to the overall delay. Nevertheless, the construction of hospitals is now progressing at an accelerated pace.

New Deadline for Hospitals under Construction

The revised deadlines for the completion of the hospitals are as follows:

• Madipur: Construction started in November 2020, initial completion date was November 2022, new deadline is January 31, 2024.
• Siraspur: Construction started in July 2020, initial completion date was May 2023, new deadline is April 30, 2024.
• Hasttal: Construction started in June 2021, initial completion date was June 2023, new deadline is May 31, 2024.
• Nangloi: Construction started in August 2020, initial completion date was August 2022, new deadline is January 31, 2024.
• Kirari: Construction started in September 2021, initial completion date was August 2022, new deadline is December 30, 2023.
• Shalimar Bagh: Construction started in September 2021, initial completion date was August 2022, new deadline is September 30, 2023.
• Sultanpuri: Construction started in September 2021, initial completion date was August 2022, new deadline is September 30, 2023.

The Delhi government is determined to expedite the construction process to ensure the timely completion of these vital healthcare facilities.