High Court pulls up Govt over poor access, no parking at Atal Super Speciality Hospital Chamiana
Shimla, December 1: The Himachal Pradesh High Court has expressed sharp displeasure over the State government’s failure to fix basic infrastructure problems at the Atal Super Speciality Hospital, Chamiana, despite repeated directions for more than a year-and-a-half.
Taking suo motu cognizance of the matter, a Division Bench headed by Chief Justice G.S. Sandhawalia on Monday noted that the hospital continues to suffer from “pathetic approach roads”, no parking space for patients, lack of facilities for attendants, poor lighting and pending construction of essential services like a blood bank and hostels.
The court said that although the Health Secretary has been participating in the proceedings since December 2024, “substantial progress is not being made”.
As per the affidavit submitted by the department, the hospital receives nearly 300 vehicles on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and around 100 on other days, but the available parking capacity is only 60.
Of this, around 70 slots are already occupied by faculty and staff vehicles, virtually leaving no space for patients.
The Bench observed that the State’s earlier claim that 200 vehicles could be parked on the approach road towards Bhattakuffer was “not feasible”.
A request was made to the Deputy Commissioner, Shimla, to mark yellow lines along the access road, but the court noted that this would only worsen congestion as the narrow road is already clogged with parked vehicles.
The affidavit also revealed that the PWD was asked back in September 2024 to create a parking facility for 1,000 patient vehicles and 400 staff vehicles, but “nothing has seen the light of the day” and no suitable land has been identified yet.
The Bench further took note of the absence of a functional blood bank at the hospital. The government informed the court that a full-fledged blood bank is planned in the upcoming Additional Block, which is scheduled for completion only by June 30, 2026.
The court also pointed at a host of unresolved issues — re-location of 32 electricity poles, lack of street lights on the 3-km stretch, and the need for a Sarain, canteen, transportation facilities and proper housing for staff.
Observing that the State claims to be setting up a premium medical institute but lacks even the basic access road, the court asked Amicus Curiae Bimal Gupta and advocate Deven Khanna to prepare a consolidated list of pending action points.
The court said it will summon both the Health Secretary and PWD Secretary to ensure compliance.
The matter will be heard again on December 29, 2025.
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