Delhi govt orders inquiry into poor state of North MCD’s TB hospital

Delhi urban development minister Satyendar Jain has ordered an inquiry for vacation and sealing of Rajan Babu TB Hospital after it emerged that the building might collapse any time. AAP MLA Atishi had made a surprise visit to the north MCD-run hospital and her party livestreamed it on social media to show that patients are being treated at a dilapidated block on the premises, even as the civic body has declared it “dangerous”.

Later, Leader of Opposition in the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) Vikas Goel, who accompanied Atishi on the visit, filed a complaint at the Mukherjee Nagar police station.

On Saturday, Jain ordered an immediate inquiry. “It has been brought to my notice that building of Rajan Babu TB Hospital run by North MCD is in dilapidated state. The MCD itself has declared the building as unsafe for human habitation and living. In spite of that, the hospital is being run and life of patients, attendants, staff and citizens is being put in danger. It seems the building may collapse any time and lot many lives are in danger,” read the order issued by the minister on December 31.

Jain has also sought an action taken report in the matter. “In view of above, for the safety of human lives, doctors and paramedics working in above said MCD Hospital, immediate inquiry may be conducted for the vacation & sealing of the building,” the order said.

Meanwhile hitting out at the order, Delhi BJP Spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said, that to seal Rajan Babu Hospital is a politically motivated move with an intention to malign the image of North DMC. “If the minister had received a complaint regarding the hospital lawfully he should have sought report on building’s status from North DMC or the Rajan Babu Hospital administration. Even otherwise as per Delhi Municipal Corporation Act 2012 only MCDs have the power to declare any building dangerous and order its sealing if needed, ” he said.

North Delhi mayor Raja Iqbal Singh, on Saturday, alleged that the AAP-led government here was trying to “malign the image” of the civic-run Rajan Babu TB Hospital, which aided in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, by highlighting a section of one of its buildings that is in a “depleted state.”

The mayor of the BJP-led North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) said this in a press conference here hours after Jain said that the city government has ordered an inquiry for “vacation and sealing of the building.”

He said the action was taken after it emerged that the structure might collapse any time as it is in a “dilapidated and hazardous” condition.

Mr Singh called the Delhi government’s move “politically-biased” and alleged that the minister had “bypassed” a lawful system by “directly passing the order of vacation and sealing” without asking for a report from either the hospital administration or the municipal commissioner.

“Two days ago, we witnessed a leader of Delhi’s ruling party walking into Rajan Babu Hospital with cameras and trying to malign the image of the hospital by highlighting a small section of one of its buildings which is in a depleted state and already declared dangerous,” he said.

Thereafter, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader went on to do a press conference, declaring the “entire hospital unfit for human occupation, which is a total lie,” the mayor claimed.