RML Hospital’s 666-Bed Super-Speciality Block Receives Fire Clearance, Boosting Delhi’s Healthcare Capacity
Dr Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital in New Delhi has taken an important step towards expanding its specialist healthcare services after its 666-bed super-speciality block reportedly received fire-safety clearance. The development brings the hospital closer to commissioning a major facility designed to strengthen advanced medical treatment, critical care and diagnostic services in the national capital.
- New Facility to Add 666 Beds and Advanced Medical Services
- First Phase to Focus on Outpatient, Dialysis and Diagnostic Services
- Growing Demand for Public Hospital Services
- Digital Healthcare and Patient-Centred Services
- What the Expansion Means for Patients
- A Significant Step in Strengthening Delhi’s Public Healthcare Infrastructure
The ₹482-crore project is expected to expand the hospital’s capacity for specialised treatment, including cancer care, liver diseases, gastrointestinal conditions and other complex medical needs. The clearance removes a key regulatory hurdle, although the hospital has not yet announced a confirmed date for opening the new block to patients.
The development comes as the Union Health Ministry reviews the hospital’s growing patient workload, quality standards and plans for modernising healthcare delivery.
New Facility to Add 666 Beds and Advanced Medical Services
The 11-storey super-speciality block is designed to accommodate a range of advanced medical and surgical services. According to reports published on 25 October 2026, the facility includes 18 operation theatres, 99 intensive care unit (ICU) beds, 196 high-dependency unit (HDU) beds and three catheterisation laboratories.
The block is planned to house specialised departments covering oncology and oncosurgery, hepatology, gastrointestinal surgery and liver transplantation. Its cancer-treatment infrastructure includes linear accelerators for radiotherapy, while a nuclear medicine department is planned to provide access to advanced diagnostic facilities, including PET scanning.
These services are intended to strengthen RML Hospital’s ability to manage patients requiring specialised investigations, complex surgery and intensive medical supervision.
Once the entire facility becomes operational, the hospital’s total bed capacity is expected to increase from 1,538 to 2,204. The additional capacity could help the institution accommodate more patients, subject to staffing, equipment commissioning and the phased introduction of clinical services.
First Phase to Focus on Outpatient, Dialysis and Diagnostic Services
The new block is expected to become operational in phases rather than opening all departments simultaneously.
Earlier reports indicated that the initial phase would prioritise a super-speciality outpatient department, a dialysis unit and radiology services equipped with CT and MRI scanners. Additional specialist departments are expected to be introduced progressively as the facility is commissioned.
A phased approach can allow hospitals to test equipment, organise staffing, establish clinical workflows and ensure that patient-safety requirements are met before expanding services.
For patients, the actual benefits will depend on when individual departments begin accepting appointments and admissions. Until RML Hospital issues an official opening notice, existing registration procedures, outpatient schedules and referral arrangements should continue to be followed.
Growing Demand for Public Hospital Services
The infrastructure expansion comes amid a substantial workload at RML Hospital and the adjoining Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Medical Sciences (ABVIMS).
During a review on 23 October 2026, Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda was informed that the institution recorded 19.4 lakh outpatient visits, more than 82,500 inpatient admissions and over 96,600 surgeries and procedures during 2025.
The hospital currently operates 30 clinical and patient-care departments, along with eight pre-clinical and para-clinical departments. Its scale of operations illustrates the demand placed on major public healthcare institutions that serve patients from Delhi and other parts of India.
The ministry’s review also highlighted the hospital’s achievement of full accreditation from the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) in 2025. According to the official announcement, RML became the first central government multi-speciality hospital to receive this distinction.
Quality-improvement initiatives include strengthening patient registration and triage, conducting clinical and prescription audits, reporting adverse drug reactions and using patient feedback to identify areas for improvement.
Digital Healthcare and Patient-Centred Services
Alongside physical infrastructure, the Health Ministry has emphasised the need to strengthen digital healthcare at RML Hospital.
During the October review, the minister called for stronger implementation of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, including wider adoption of electronic prescriptions and other digital health services. These measures are intended to support more efficient service delivery and better integration of healthcare information.
The hospital has also increased the number of Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana assistance kiosks from one to three. The number of PM-JAY pre-authorisation requests reportedly rose from 549 in 2022 to 1,516 in 2025.
The review further addressed mental-health support for medical students and faculty members, alongside plans for stronger specialised services, community outreach through satellite clinics and AI-enabled monitoring.
These initiatives reflect a broader approach to hospital development in which infrastructure, digital systems, clinical quality and workforce well-being are considered together.
What the Expansion Means for Patients
The super-speciality block could provide additional capacity for patients requiring cancer treatment, liver care, gastrointestinal surgery, dialysis and advanced diagnostic investigations. The additional ICU and HDU beds may also strengthen the hospital’s capacity to manage critically ill patients once the facility becomes fully operational.
However, an increase in bed capacity does not automatically guarantee shorter waiting times or better treatment outcomes. The eventual impact will depend on the availability of specialist doctors, nurses, technicians, medical equipment and supporting services, as well as the speed at which departments begin operating.
For patients awaiting specialist consultations or procedures, the next important milestone will be an official announcement confirming the commissioning schedule and the services available in the first phase.
A Significant Step in Strengthening Delhi’s Public Healthcare Infrastructure
The reported fire-safety clearance marks an important milestone for RML Hospital’s super-speciality project. With its planned expansion of beds, operating theatres, critical-care facilities and specialised departments, the block represents a significant investment in Delhi’s public healthcare infrastructure.
As the hospital moves towards commissioning, attention will turn to the phased introduction of services and the extent to which the additional capacity improves access to advanced treatment.
The project’s long-term success will depend not only on the building itself but also on effective staffing, reliable clinical operations, patient-safety systems and timely access to care.
