Examine feasibility of using hotels as Covid-19 hospitals, orders Delhi HC

Petitioner during arguments flagged various issues which would arise if the hotels are to be used as extended COVID hospitals

Delhi High Court has directed to constitute a committee of doctors, with a request to visit two propsed hotels--Surya Hotel, New Friends Colony and Crown Plaza (Okhla) and give a report on the advisability/feasibility of these hotels being used as extended Covid-19 hospitals.

Court also request Dr Randeep Guleria, Director, AIIMS and Dr V.K Paul, Member of the Niti Aayog, to visit the two hotels in question and give their report on the advisability/feasibility of using these hotels as extended Covid-19 hospitals.

Justice Navin Chawla on Thursday passed above direction on the petition files by two hotels challenging Delhi Govt decision to convert hotels into makeshift hospitals for Covid-19 patients.

Petitioner during arguments flagged various issues which would arise if the hotels are to be used as extended Covid-19 hospitals. It said that the presence of air conditioning, the lack of large lifts which are capable of being used for stretchers, lack of bio-waste disposal, as also the measure to safeguard the hotel work force that may be required by the hotels for providing services as stipulated in the orders dated 29.05.2020 and 02.06.2020, etc.

They submit that use of these hotels as extended Covid-19 Hospitals would in fact, not be advisable.

Court while passing the directions also stated that "the petitioners (Hotels) shall be entitled to depute one officer each to highlight their concerns to this Committee. Equally, the respondents may also depute its officers who may help the Committee and give their inputs to the said Committee.The Committee shall also be entitled to take the help/assistance of such other persons as may be deemed necessary in this exercise", Court added.

Next date of hearing in the matter is June 15 and committee needs to submit a report to the court till June 14.

Earlier, the hotels argued that the government's order is "unilateral" and they were not consulted before passing it. Delhi government in an order dated 29th May had asked several hotels to be converted into Covid-19 hospitals.