Jaipur: In the walled city, a temple, a mazaar and a govt school building were demolished in 2021 to make way for the Rs 52-crore expansion of Pt Deendayal Upadhyay Hospital in Gangori Bazaar. Five years on, the promised upgrade has yet to materialise. The area’s only govt-run multispecialty hospital remains severely cramped, while the extension—being built by Jaipur Smart City Limited—has missed its Oct 2024 deadline and is still far from operational.
Pt Deendayal Upadhyay Hospital in Gangori Bazaar Jaipur
Pt Deendayal Upadhyay Hospital in Gangori Bazaar Jaipur
The new facility was intended to handle the growing patient load from the walled city, nearby Shahpura town, and other settlements along Delhi Road. Instead, the incomplete structure has become a symbol of sacrifice without delivery.“We do not have space. We are managing the functioning of the hospital in limited space. A new building is coming up, but it is yet to be completed,” said Dr Leeneshwar Harshvardhan, the hospital superintendent. He said the superspecialty block is being developed on 5,998 sq metres of land that previously housed the school, temple and shrine.A site inspection of the under-construction building shows substantial work pending. Civil work is incomplete, modular operation theatres have not been started, and electrical and firefighting systems remain unfinished. Air-conditioning, false ceilings, floor tiling, and external and internal painting are incomplete or stalled. Sanitary fittings have not begun, and the medical gas pipeline is still pending.The delay has left major service gaps. The hospital still lacks a CT scanner, MRI, blood bank, and trauma emergency unit, operating only a blood storage centre due to space constraints. Parking remains a problem for patients’ attendants, as the limited space is reserved for staff.The existing hospital operates on 7,189 sq metres, with a built-up area of 1,12,165 sq feet across the basement, ground floor and three upper floors. For patients, this has meant congested OPDs, long waits, and overstretched services in a facility that was expected to gain crucial additional space years ago.The pressure is reflected in patient volumes. From Jan 1 to Sept 30 this year, the hospital recorded 3.8 lakh OPD visits. In 2025, it registered 49.7 lakh OPD visits.The facility has 303 beds, nearly half earmarked for maternal care. With rising maternal footfall, the hospital has begun issuing antenatal check-up slots a day in advance to manage crowding.
