Shimla, May 14
Himachal Pradesh High Court has sought a detailed status report from the state government on the proposed shifting of services from around hundred years old Kamla Nehru Hospital (KNH) to Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital (IGMC), Shimla, while taking serious note of concerns regarding infrastructure constraints, overcrowding and disruption of specialised mother-child healthcare services.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia and Justice Bipin Chandra Negi on Wednesday passed the order while hearing a public interest litigation filed by Falma Chauhan against the State of Himachal Pradesh and others. The matter has now been listed for further hearing on May 28, 2026.
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During the hearing, counsel for the petitioner Naresh Kumar Tomar argued that Kamla Nehru Hospital is a specialised institution dedicated to mother and child healthcare, particularly in obstetric and gynaecological services. The petition challenged the government’s proposal dated September 16, 2025 to shift part of the OBG department to IGMC.
The petitioner submitted before the court that IGMC is already heavily overcrowded and lacks sufficient infrastructure to accommodate additional staff and services.
It was pointed out that official records attached with the petition reveal that only a part of the OBG department is proposed to be shifted due to non-availability of adequate space at IGMC itself.
The court was further informed that under an office order dated March 24, 2026, only five rooms had been earmarked for the shifting exercise, forcing consultants and senior residents to be relocated from the second to the third floor to create space.
The petition also highlighted that KNH has been functioning since the British era and was earlier known as “Lady Reading Hospital.”
It argued that no proper study or data has been presented regarding the available covered area, staff accommodation or feasibility of shifting services to IGMC.
The petitioner further contended that shifting expensive specialised machinery and departments between institutions would adversely affect healthcare delivery and contradict earlier policy decisions.
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Taking cognisance of the issues raised, the High Court issued notice to the respondents and directed the state government to file a status report before the next hearing.
It is worthwhile to mention that women organisation across party lines are vehemently protesting against the move and they are opposing it tooth and nail as they state a deliberate act to dismantle hundred years old health institution which couldn’t be shifted to other hospitals overnight.
Intrestingly Himachal Pradesh High court also had been snubbed the state authority over its previous decision to shift many super speciality unit of IGMC to Atal Institute of Supper Speciality Chamyana.
The state government had given the logic of shifting of as many as nine OPD and Surgical unit of IGMC to Chamyana to decongest IGMC. It seems that state health authority are trying to taken opposite stand on shifting services of KNH to IGMC vis-a-vie to shifting services of IGMC to Chamyana.
The counsel for the state also stated that Government did not direct by the high court to not shift health services shifted by Government to IGMC from KNH nore the Court issued any injection to state about services provide by it at IGMC to women patients.
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