02 July 2010
By Harish V. Nair
New Delhi, India
Economically weak patients and their relatives coming at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) for treatment will no longer have to stay under the flyover outside the premier hospital.
A spacious dormitory – Apex Dharamshala – will soon be built near the hospital’s Trauma Centre. The dormitory can accommodate around 60 families.
This information was given to the Delhi High Court by the AIIMS counsel in response to a public interest litigation (PIL) filed following a report in Hindustan Times titled 'AIIMS flyover turns migrant shelter’. The report was shown to the court by Sugriva Dubey and Namita Roy, both human rightsr’ lawyers.
The report dated May 3, 2010, highlighted the plight of a couple - Sunil Kumar and Chinta Devi, residents of Varanasi, who stayed under the flyover whenever they came to Delhi for their sonr’s treatment.
The coupler’s son is suffering from tuberculosis of the bone and requires continuous treatment at AIIMS.
"We stay under the AIIMS flyover. Our son is admitted at AIIMS and this is the most convenient place for us to stay," Kumar said.
The area under the flyover is littered with utensils, clothes and bedding, even as authorities try to give the city a makeover for the forthcoming Commonwealth Games.
"At least we can get shelter from the sun and the rain here," said Chinta Devi. Ten to 15 families live under the flyover at any given time awaiting treatment at AIIMS.
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