Delhi's Ayushman Arogya Mandir Rollout Picks Up Pace, 34 Centres To Be Inaugurated Soon

The Delhi government is ramping up its Ayushman Arogya Mandir initiative, with 34 new centres expected to be inaugurated by July 24 as part of the second phase. Health Minister Dr Pankaj Kumar Singh chaired a high-level meeting at the Secretariat earlier today to review the progress.

The meeting was attended by senior officials from the Health Department, Public Works Department, among others.

"In a determined push towards building a 'healthy and empowered Delhi', the government is fast-tracking efforts to develop world-class healthcare infrastructure across the Capital," Dr Singh said during the meeting.

Another 75 centres are expected to be opened by the end of August. Officials said the government is identifying available spaces in community centres, banquet halls, market shops, polyclinics, and even unused residential plots to house the new facilities.

"A feasibility study is currently being conducted to identify and establish Ayushman Arogya Mandirs at over 950 locations in Delhi," Dr Singh said. So far, 429 sites have been identified, and 98 have received the required No Objection Certificates.

The Mandirs are designed to serve as neighbourhood health centres offering free primary care, diagnostics, and medicines. The larger goal is to set up 1,139 such centres across the city in a phased manner.

The meeting also saw Dr Singh criticising the pace of hospital infrastructure upgrades. He reprimanded PWD officials for delays, stating, "Any negligence in health-related projects will not be tolerated under any circumstances."

"From Ayushman Arogya Mandirs to medical colleges and government hospitals, the Delhi Government will ensure that there is no shortage of funds in delivering world-class healthcare services," he added.

With the next round of inaugurations just days away, the bigger question now is whether the government can keep up the momentum and meet its ambitious targets in time.