NEW DELHI: Delhi’s ambitious hospital expansion plan has hit a prolonged roadblock, with 11 major projects stalled since 2023, leaving over 10,000 beds stuck in the pipeline.Large hospitals such as GTB, Raghubir Nagar and Shalimar Bagh — each with about 1,500 beds — have remained that way since July 2023, primarily due to pending approvals of revised cost estimates and funding constraints, details in the Economic Survey 2025-26 have shown.Mid-sized hospitals in Madipur, Nangloi (Jwalapuri) and Sultanpuri, each with 500-700 beds, are facing similar delays. In some cases, projects have been held up since early 2023 due to pending decisions on adding extra floors, while others were stalled for months in 2024 for the lack of budget allocation. Construction at Vikaspuri resumed only in Jan 2025 after funds were released following a nearly year-long halt.
The projects were initiated under AAP govt with the aim of significantly expanding public healthcare capacity. However, administrative bottlenecks, funding gaps, design revisions and inter-departmental approvals slowed progress.The capacity expansion is needed because according to the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO), the recommended bed population ratio is 5 beds per a population of 1,000. However, the bed population ratio in Delhi in 2025-26 has remained at 2.84 which is much below the WHO norm.According to official data, several projects are nearing completion but remain idle. Siraspur hospital, with over 1,100 beds, has crossed 75% completion and is at the finishing stage, but is awaiting approval for furniture and equipment.Shalimar Bagh and Sultanpuri hospitals have largely completed structural and finishing work but are stuck pending revised estimates.At Sarita Vihar, the project was redesigned from an ICU facility into a mother-and-child hospital, delaying completion further.Technical challenges have also played a role. At Kirari, the project required a shift to pile foundation due to soil liquefaction risks, while at multiple sites, redesigns and scope changes have led to cost escalations and fresh approvals.The delays come at a time when Delhi continues to face pressure on its healthcare infrastructure. While the number of medical institutions in the city has grown by nearly 13% since 2019-20 — driven by an increase in dispensaries, polyclinics and specialised centres — the number of hospitals has remained unchanged.At present, Delhi govt provides healthcare services through 40 hospitals, 370 Aayushman Arogya Mandirs, 98 dispensaries, 48 polyclinics and several AYUSH facilities, along with mobile clinics and school health programmes.However, officials acknowledge that major hospitals continue to bear the main patient load.Land scarcity, multiplicity of agencies and shortage of experienced manpower have also been cited as challenges that have slowed the pace of new infrastructure.An official said govt is committed to completing long-pending projects. “In the budget, a total allocation of Rs 13,034 crore has been made for the health department which reflect govt’s firm commitment to ensuring accessible, affordable healthcare. Rs 515 crore has been allocated to expedite infrastructure at facilities, including Madipur, Siraspur, Hastsal and Jwalapuri, along with upgrades at Rao Tula Ram Memorial Hospital, Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital and Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital.… Additionally, Rs 150 crore has been earmarked for completing seven ICU hospitals,” the official said.
