India, July 20 -- At 3 am, the pavement outside AIIMS Delhi is still awake. Children sleep on cardboard sheets, attendants curl up on chairs inside overcrowded cooling tents, and hundreds wait through the night not because they have nowhere else to go, but because they fear losing their place in the queue when OPD registrations begin. For many families, sleeping outside AIIMS has become a necessity shaped by poverty, distance and the country's overburdened healthcare system. Dinesh Beniwal, who has travelled from Haryana for his brother's cancer treatment, said he has been visiting AIIMS for nearly a year. "AIIMS is the best and the cheapest. Vishram Sadans are usually full. We don't sleep on the footpath by choice; this is our majboori. There is a job crisis. Why would we spend money on a room when we need it for treatment?" he said.
He also alleged that attendants are often asked to leave waiting areas inside the hospital even if they briefly fall asleep while waiting for patients. A tea vendor outside the hospital offered a different perspective. While acknowledging the lack of space, he said some people choose to stay outside so they can join the unofficial queue that begins around 4 a.m., hours before OPD registration officially opens at 8 a.m. The investigation found that the AIIMS Vishram Sadans remain largely occupied, while three government-supported cooling tents outside were packed beyond capacity. Equipped with coolers, drinking water and chairs provided with support from the Delhi Government and NDMC, the shelters had no beds, forcing many children and attendants to sleep on floors and chairs. NDMC officials were also seen supplying water tankers according to demand.
AIIMS officials said they introduced Vishram Sadans on December 21, 2024, to move people away from pavements. "We are also afraid seeing people sleep outside. A rash driver could harm them," an official said. They said CRPF personnel assist with security, NGOs help provide food, Ashray Sadans cater to OPD patients free of cost, while Vishram Sadans offer low-cost accommodation and pantry facilities for attendants. Combined with the Jhajjar campus, the current accommodation capacity is around 1,500. However, officials admitted demand far exceeds availability. Dr. Nirupam Madan said AIIMS is planning a multi-storey Vishram Sadan despite severe space constraints, though no timeline has been finalised. While the AAP ( Aam Aadmi Party) Government improved road connectivity around the AIIMS corridor, coordinated with AIIMS during COVID-19, and strengthened referral networks through its public health system, AIIMS itself remains under the Central Government. The Centre has allocated around Rs 5,500 crore to AIIMS Delhi for 2026-27 and announced major upgrades. Yet, despite expanding infrastructure, many patients and attendants continue sleeping outside, highlighting the persistent shortage of shelter.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.