RTI application exposes critical gaps at government-run PC Sethi Hospital and 11 other major facilities, raising fresh safety fears weeks after a deadly city fire.

Lives of patients in 12 major hospitals here, including the government-run PC Sethi Hospital, remain at risk due to complete absence of basic fire safety measures. An RTI reply has brought these shocking lapses to light, even as the city reels from a recent blaze that killed eight people.

The findings have triggered sharp questions over enforcement, with officials passing the buck and patients left vulnerable in facilities that treat hundreds daily.

RTI Exposes Safety Gaps

Prominent RTI activist Advocate Charchit Shastri sought details on fire No Objection Certificates for all hospitals with more than 100 beds. The response revealed that several facilities have not even installed full fire safety systems, while others failed to renew their NOCs for years.

Mayur Hospital and Laxmi Memorial Hospital in New Palasia figure among those operating without valid clearance. The lapses come at a time when Indore needs urgent lessons from its own tragedies.

Mayor Blames Health Department

Indore Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargav has shifted responsibility squarely to the Health Department and Chief Medical and Health Officer. He said monitoring and action against erring hospitals fall under their purview, not the civic body.

The statement has done little to reassure residents in this latest news today from the heart of Madhya Pradesh.

CMHO Cites Encroachment Hurdle

Chief Medical and Health Officer Dr Madhav Hasani pointed to long-pending encroachment issues at PC Sethi Hospital. He made it clear the facility will not receive fire NOC until the illegal structures are removed.

The problem has persisted since 2018 despite repeated departmental correspondence. Dr Hasani added that action against the remaining 11 hospitals is expected soon.

Activist Raises Concerns

Advocate Charchit Shastri warned that hospitals admitting hundreds of patients have no escape route in case of fire. He has already lodged a formal complaint with the Collector and CMHO, yet no concrete steps have emerged so far.

“These are not minor oversights; patient lives hang in the balance,” the activist noted in his submission.

Commercial Buildings Unsafe

The revelations have also spotlighted wider neglect. In August 2024, the then Indore Collector ordered all commercial buildings to complete fire safety arrangements within one month, warning of sealing for non-compliance.

Months later, neither full inspections nor enforcement have taken place, according to Congress spokesperson Amit Chaurasia.

Previous Directives Ignored

Two years ago, former Collector Ashish Singh had directed the CMHO and Dean of MGM Medical College to ensure every nursing home, hospital and medical college obtained fire safety certificates from the Urban Development Department and electrical safety clearances.

Audit reports were mandatory. The moment Singh moved out of Indore, the entire drive lost steam and the files gathered dust.

Past Hospital Fires in MP

The Indore lapses assume graver meaning against the state’s recent record:

- Jabalpur, August 2022: Eight people, including four patients, died in a fire at New Life Multi-Specialty Hospital.  

- Bhopal, November 2021: Four newborns perished at Kamla Nehru Children’s Hospital.  

- Rewa, December 2025: One newborn lost life in an operation theatre blaze at Sanjay Gandhi Hospital.

These tragedies have repeatedly exposed the same systemic failures now staring Indore in the face.

Patients and their families deserve immediate protection. With fire safety lapses in Indore hospitals once again under the scanner, the administration must move beyond blame and enforce compliance across every facility without further delay.