Himachal High Court Slams State over Infrastructure Delays in Super-Specialty Hospital, Warns Top Officials

The Atal Institute of Medical Super Specialities (AIMSS) in Chamiana, Shimla, a critical healthcare project for the region, is facing severe criticism not from patients or the public, but from the Himachal Pradesh High Court itself. The court has expressed deep frustration over years of administrative delays in providing even basic infrastructure, warning that senior state secretaries may be personally summoned to explain the hold-up.

A division bench of Chief Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia and Justice Jiya Lal Bhardwaji minced no words, noting that despite repeated orders and the presence of top officials in previous hearings, “a period of more than a year has gone by, but substantial progress has not been made.” The court has now set a firm deadline, stating that if concrete steps are not taken by the next hearing, the responsible secretaries will have to appear in court to justify the inaction.

The court’s ire was fueled by a list of persistent deficiencies reviewed from a committee report. These aren’t minor oversights but fundamental failures affecting public access and safety:

· Lost in Transit: The hospital lacks proper directional signboards from key approach routes, including Tara Devi, Kufri, the ISBT, and Victory Tunnel, making it difficult for patients and ambulances to find.
· A Parking Nightmare: While the super-specialty hospital requires parking for approximately 1,000 vehicles, only about 60 spots are currently available. The court has directed the PWD Secretary to submit an urgent, comprehensive plan to solve this crisis.
· Funding & Safety Logjams: The High Court has ordered the state to release funds by January 30, 2026, specifically for land acquisition, installing solar street lights, and removing hazardous high-tension electric poles and domestic power lines along the road—issues flagged earlier but left unaddressed.
· Transport Desert: The court highlighted a severe lack of public transport connectivity to the hospital. It has directed the HRTC Managing Director to file an affidavit detailing plans to improve bus services between AIMSS and major transit hubs like the ISBT and IGMC.

Amidst the criticism, the court also took note of a positive community effort: an NGO, Almighty Blessing, has been providing free meals to patients and their attendants at the hospital. The bench has directed authorities to formally facilitate and support this essential service.

The High Court’s stern intervention paints a picture of a vital medical institution struggling to function due to infrastructural neglect, leaving patients and their families to navigate a maze of poor access, inadequate facilities, and bureaucratic inertia. The next hearing will determine whether this judicial push finally propels the project forward.