RML Hospital's Super Speciality Block: Fire NOC hurdles reduced to 3

CPWD tells Delhi HC fire safety deficiencies for RML Hospital's Super Speciality Block are down from 20 to 3. The court is monitoring the progress on the remaining issues, including access roads and lift extensions, for the Fire NOC.

The Central Public Works Department (CPWD) has informed the Delhi High Court that the number of fire safety deficiencies standing in the way of issuance of a Fire No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the Super Speciality Block (SSB) at Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital has been reduced from 20 to three, with the remaining works either under execution or pending consideration before the Delhi Fire Service (DFS).

The status report was filed by the CPWD on September 3 in compliance with an earlier order of the High Court, which had directed immediate steps for removal of the deficiencies in view of the importance of the super speciality hospital facility. According to the latest status report, the initial application for Fire NOC was submitted to the DFS on January 16, 2026. The fire authorities, in a communication dated March 9, 2026, identified 20 shortcomings. Following compliances undertaken by the CPWD and subsequent inspections, the number of outstanding observations was reduced to three in the DFS communication dated August 5, 2026. The CPWD said that it uploaded a further application seeking reconsideration along with the updated position on the DFS portal on August 7 and that a response from the fire authorities is awaited.

The status report has been filed in the public interest litigation moved by Social Jurist, a civil rights group, concerning the completion and operationalisation of the Super Speciality Block at RML Hospital.

Court's Intervention and Directives

The development follows the Delhi High Court’s August 3 order directing the CPWD to take immediate steps to rectify the remaining fire safety deficiencies after receiving the latest inspection report from the Delhi Fire Service. A Division Bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia passed the direction while hearing the PIL filed by Social Jurist. During the hearing, the Court impleaded the Chief Architect of the CPWD as a respondent and issued notice. The notice was accepted by Central Government Standing Counsel Pratima N. Lakra on behalf of the newly impleaded respondent.

The Delhi Fire Service had informed the Court that the hospital’s application for a fire safety certificate was first rejected on March 9, 2026, after inspectors identified 20 deficiencies. It was further submitted that another inspection was conducted on July 4, 2026. According to the DFS, the deficiencies identified earlier had not been rectified, leading to a further rejection of the application on July 22, 2026. The Court was also informed that another inspection had been conducted on August 1, following which a fresh report identifying the remaining deficiencies was to be prepared and shared with the hospital authorities and the Chief Architect of the CPWD.

Recording the submissions, the High Court directed that once the inspection report was shared, the Chief Architect of the CPWD should immediately take steps to remove the remaining deficiencies. Stressing the public importance of the project, the Court had observed, “It is needless to emphasise that construction of such facility at the earliest will be in public interest and, therefore, no delay in completion of construction or removal of deficiencies required for issuance of fire clearance certificate can be accepted.” The Court had also recorded the hospital’s submission that, except for the fire safety certificate, all other statutory permissions had already been obtained. The Bench had requested Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma to assist the Court, observing that the issue concerned the construction of a hospital. It had directed the hospital authorities and the Chief Architect of CPWD to file status reports.

Details of Outstanding Deficiencies

In its latest filing, the CPWD has given a detailed break-up of the three observations which remain outstanding.

Motorable Access and Turning Radius

The first issue concerns motorable access and the turning radius around the Super Speciality Block. The CPWD said that a 9-metre-wide motorable peripheral access road is already available around the SSB, except on the southern side adjoining the existing Trauma Centre. It also pointed out that there are separate entry and exit gates from Kalibari Lane. The widening of the remaining portion around the Trauma Centre has already commenced. However, the CPWD said the work is complicated because significant and critical services are running at shallow depths beneath the carriageway. There is also an overhead oxygen line serving the entire RML Hospital which would need to be suitably protected or relocated during execution. The remaining widening work is expected to be completed within approximately three months from August 7, 2026.

Fire Tower Lift Access

The second issue concerns fire tower lift access up to the terrace. The government said the building presently has three staircases extending from Basement Level-3 to the terrace. Fire Tower-1 has two lifts reaching the terrace, while Fire Tower-2 has two lifts extending from Basement Level-3 to the top occupied floor. A ramp from the ground floor to the terrace is also available. The CPWD has placed before the DFS the approved building plans, Pre-NOC and relevant provisions of the Unified Building Bye-Laws, 2016, for reconsideration. It pointed out that the DFS had granted Pre-NOC approval on September 8, 2021, and that the approved plan dated December 27, 2021 did not show the two lifts in Fire Tower-2 as extending to the terrace. The CPWD has also relied on the applicable building bye-laws to contend that lifts are not to be treated as a means of escape during an emergency and that lifts up to the terrace or rooftop are contemplated where such areas are used for public activities. According to the government, the terrace or roof of the SSB hospital building is not intended for public activities. However, without prejudice to this position, the CPWD said that if the DFS ultimately requires the two lifts in Fire Tower-2 to be extended up to the terrace, such extension is technically feasible. The work, if required, is likely to take approximately six months from installation to commissioning and is estimated to cost around Rs 28 lakh.

Connection to Trauma Centre

The third issue relates to the connection between the Super Speciality Block and the existing Trauma Centre. The CPWD said that structural connection work at the second and seventh floors has already been completed. Finishing work is presently underway and the connection is expected to be fully commissioned by September 15, 2026.

The government has told the High Court that it is taking all necessary steps on priority for completion of the pending works and for securing the Fire NOC for the Super Speciality Block at the earliest. It said the remaining works were being continuously monitored and that the CPWD was coordinating with the Delhi Fire Service for expeditious consideration of the pending application. The matter is listed before the Delhi High Court for further hearing on September 7, 2026, and has been directed to be placed high on the board. (ANI)

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