Delhi Hospital Building 3,000-Bed Shelter for Families

Families who traveled hundreds of miles to seek treatment at one of India's premier hospitals will no longer have to sleep on cold pavement waiting for news of their loved ones.

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi announced plans to build a 3,000-bed shelter home after a court took notice of families enduring severe cold waves outside major hospitals. The new facility will sit on two acres of land and replace an aging 300-bed shelter that couldn't meet the overwhelming demand.

The hospital currently houses only 949 people across all its shelter facilities. That left countless families camping outside in Delhi's harsh winter temperatures, simply to stay close to patients receiving critical care.

The announcement came after Delhi High Court reviewed a January report documenting the desperate conditions faced by these families. Many had traveled from rural areas and couldn't afford hotels, leaving them no choice but to brave the elements on hospital grounds.

AIIMS responded immediately with short-term solutions too. The hospital offered land for 80 temporary tent shelters and created dedicated assistance teams to help families find available beds. They're even developing a digital dashboard to show vacancy information at shelters across the city.

Meanwhile, Delhi's urban shelter board has already erected 20 new tents near AIIMS and neighboring hospitals. Another 40 tents went up at two other major medical centers, with more planned by evening.

The Ripple Effect

This story reveals something powerful about how change happens. One newspaper report sparked court action, which triggered immediate relief for hundreds of families and a long-term solution for thousands more.

The court ordered authorities to cooperate fully and complete the new shelter "at the earliest possible time." Hospital officials emphasized their "patient-centric approach," recognizing that caring for patients means caring for the families who support them through medical crises.

For families facing medical emergencies, the stress of finding shelter will soon be one less burden to bear during already difficult times.