LoP points out lapses in GTB Hospital block construction

Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly, Vijender Gupta, has accused the AAP government of gross mismanagement and corruption in the construction of an ICU block at Guru Tegh Bahadur (GTB) Hospital in Dilshad Garden. Gupta claimed the project, which began in September 2021 and was expected to be completed by February 2022, remains unfinished, with construction stalled since July 2023.

Speaking at the construction site during an inspection on Tuesday, Gupta said, “The incomplete ICU block, which was to have a capacity of 1,912 beds, is a glaring example of the AAP government’s so-called world class health model. The project, initially budgeted at Rs 300 crore, has now doubled in cost to over Rs 600 crore. This massive increase is proof of corruption and mismanagement.”

Gupta alleged the construction agency abandoned the project midway, leaving materials to rust and the site in disarray. He further accused the Delhi government of neglecting healthcare infrastructure, saying, “In the last 10 years, not a single new hospital was built in Delhi under the AAP government. Projects like these are nothing but tools for embezzlement.”

Highlighting the dire state of the ICU block, Gupta added, “Even if this block is completed, it will remain non-functional because no recruitment plans for essential staff like doctors, nurses, and ward boys were included in the project.”