Shimla – In a major setback to the Himachal Pradesh Government, the Himachal Pradesh High Court has imposed an interim stay on the proposed shifting of Kamla Nehru Hospital to the campus of Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital while hearing a Public Interest Litigation.
The matter came up for hearing before a division bench comprising Chief Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia and Justice Bipin Chandra Negi on Tuesday. The High Court also stayed the proposal related to the Dental College and sought a detailed reply from the State Government regarding the decision.
During the hearing, counsel appearing for the petitioners argued that the 102-year-old Kamala Nehru Hospital has a special significance for women and children in the state. They submitted that shifting the hospital would cause major inconvenience to patients coming from remote areas and would also affect the historical identity of the institution.
Taking serious note of the concerns raised in the petition, the High Court immediately stayed the shifting process and directed the Health Department to explain the reasons behind the proposal. The Court also asked the government to clarify how the proposed move would benefit or adversely affect patients.
The State Government had recently decided to shift the Gynaecology OPD and some other services of Kamala Nehru Hospital to the IGMC campus. The government had maintained that IGMC has better infrastructure and advanced medical facilities, which would improve treatment facilities for patients. However, the proposal triggered strong opposition in Shimla and several other parts of the state.
Following the High Court’s order, the Bharatiya Janata Party described the decision as a victory for the public and criticised the Congress government over the proposed shifting plan.
BJP Media Convener Karan Nanda said the High Court’s observations and the stay order made it clear that the government had taken a hasty decision without properly understanding public sentiment and assessing its impact on healthcare infrastructure.
He said the BJP had opposed the proposal from the beginning, arguing that Kamala Nehru Hospital is not just a building but an institution closely linked to the healthcare needs of women across Himachal Pradesh. He added that shifting the hospital would have created difficulties for women, pregnant patients and people travelling from remote areas for treatment.
