New Delhi, January 21, 2026: The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has announced plans to construct a 3,000-bed rest house for families of patients, following the Delhi High Court’s intervention over the plight of the attendants forced to sleep outside hospitals during winter. The facility is also aimed for the families who travel to Delhi for treatment and are left without accommodation.
The announcement came during the hearing of a suo motu public interest litigation by a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia, initiated after reports highlighted that patients’ relatives were left without shelter near AIIMS Hospital.
The Delhi High Court encouraged the Delhi High Court Bar Association (DHCBA) to contribute to the project on Friday, January 16, 2026. DHCBA president N Hariharan assured the Bench that members would be mobilized to contribute, while senior advocate Rajiv Nayar and Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma volunteered to make initial donations. The Arun Jaitley Foundation also expressed its willingness to support the initiative financially.
Advocate Satya Ranjan Swain, appearing for AIIMS, informed the court that the institute had already provided land to the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) for the construction of 80 temporary pagoda-like shelters. In addition, the hospital is spearheading the construction of a long-term facility, which includes a 3,000-bed rest house, Vishram Sadan, on a two-acre plot in Ansari Nagar West, in collaboration with an NGO from Ahmedabad.
DUSIB also confirmed that 20 new pagodas had been set up near AIIMS and Safdarjung Hospital. Similar facilities were also being erected near Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital and hospitals associated with Lady Hardinge Medical College.
The court expressed satisfaction with the measures already implemented, noting improvements in shelter availability over the past two days. It also stressed that senior officials and nodal officers must remain vigilant to ensure that no patient’s relative is left without shelter, especially during winter.
A coordination meeting under the chairmanship of the Principal District and Sessions Judge (South District) has been scheduled for January 24, with a status report to be presented before the next hearing on January 27.
(Rh/VK)
