COVID Bed Facility At Indira Gandhi Hospital: Delhi High Court Expects LG To Take Decision On Approval Of Additional Staffing Posts

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday said that it hopes and expects the Lieutenant Governor to take decision at the earliest on the approval of additional staffing posts, in relation to the project of making Covid bed facility at Indira Gandhi Hospital, in order to ensure that its functioning is not hampered in any manner.

Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Jasmeet Singh also observed that the Delhi Government was making endeavour to stick to the timelines, which were placed before the Court on earlier hearings, regarding completion of tasks in relation to the project.

The Court also said that the Delhi Government must make the endeavour to make super speciality facilities functional in the hospital by March next year.

During the course of hearing today, Senior Advocate Rahul Mehra appearing for the Delhi Government referred to the latest status report indicating the timelines and completion of proposed tasks in the said hospital.

He submitted that 1241 beds have been made functional in the wards and civil electrical work for the same has also been completed. Further, he submitted that the task of installation of oxygen pipelines in the said beds, which was supposed to be completed by October end, has also been completed.

As regards to the procurement of essential furniture and other materials for regular services in the hospital, Mehra submitted that the same has been initiated and will be completed by December end.

Furthermore, he added that the general specialities in the hospital shall be completed by December 31 and 1204 posts of staff were created to be filled. However, the Court was apprised that since the filling up of posts through channels like UPSC and DSSSB will take time, manpower will be employed by way of contractual engagements, PSUs etc.

He further highlighted that while the requisitioned posts for staff was 3059, approval was granted for 1204 posts and that fresh proposal again will be submitted for approval of additional posts which are pending consideration.

He also apprised the Court that super speciality facilities shall be set up from July 2022 and that phase 2 of the hospital, which was at a planning stage, shall be made functional after completion of phase 1.

However, Advocate VP Singh appearing for the petitioner submitted that the time limit for making functional the super speciality facilities be reduced to first quarter of the next year for the reason that there was no other super speciality hospital in Dwarka area.

"Let us concentrate on the phase 1 for the time being. Lets go step by step. There is no point to squeeze when even phase 1 is not complete," Justice Sanghi remarked.

The matter has now been listed on February 1 for looking at further progress.

The Court had on previous occasion directed the Delhi Government to file a status report disclosing the completion of tasks in relation to the project of making Covid bed Facility at the Hospital.

It had also directed the Delhi Government to file a 'better affidavit' indicating the timeline within which Phase-I and Phase-II super speciality facilities will be set up in the Hospital.

The Court had also observed that the availability of super speciality facilities are necessary even for a person undergoing Covid-19 treatment.

Earlier, the Court had directed the Principal Secretary of Health of the Delhi Government to personally monitor the progress of the project on a weekly basis and that appropriate disciplinary action must be there for those guilty of any lapse or negligence.

It had also ordered the government to give it a timeline as to when the facility will be functional, which the government would bind itself to and non-adherence to which would give rise to consequences.

Case Title: DWARKA COURT BAR ASSOCIATION v. STATE (NCT OF DELHI) & ORS.