Mumbai: Contempt Plea Filed Against ESIC Over Delay In Reopening Model Super Speciality Hospital In Andheri

Mumbai, May 19: A contempt petition was filed on Tuesday in the Bombay High Court against the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) for allegedly failing to comply with the court’s earlier directions regarding the reopening of the Model Super Speciality Hospital at Marol in Andheri (East).

The petition has been filed by former Deputy Mayor of Mumbai Rajesh Sharma, who had earlier approached the high court through a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking restoration of the hospital, which has remained shut since a major fire in December 2018.

Hospital shut since 2018 fire tragedy

Eleven people were killed in the fire that broke out in the hospital, which had stored 20 LPG cylinders below a staircase without the requisite permission.

According to the contempt plea, filed through advocate Rahul Kamerkar, the high court on April 16, 2025 directed ESIC to ensure completion of renovation work and obtain possession of the hospital building by August 15, 2025.

The court had also directed that the hospital should be made operational by January 31, 2026.

The contempt petition stated that the directions were passed after ESIC informed the court that the National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC) had undertaken the renovation work and assured completion within the stipulated period.

Petitioner alleges wilful non-compliance

However, Sharma has alleged that despite the deadlines having passed, the construction work remains incomplete and the hospital is still non-operational. The plea claimed that ESIC has “wilfully and deliberately” disobeyed the court’s order.

The petitioner said legal notices dated February 6 and February 27, 2026 were sent to ESIC asking it to comply with the court order and warning of contempt proceedings in case of non-compliance.

Delay causing hardship to insured workers

The contempt petition further stated that the hospital, established in 2008 as Maharashtra’s ESIC Model Hospital, earlier provided OPD, IPD, ICU, diagnostic and super-speciality services to insured workers and their families.

The facility became non-operational after the 2018 fire incident. The petitioner has argued that the continued delay in restarting the hospital has caused hardship to insured workers and the public at large.

The plea also alleged that ESIC neither sought extension of time from the court nor showed substantial compliance with the directions.

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Sharma has sought action against ESIC under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 and requested the court to punish the respondent for alleged wilful breach of its order. The plea will come up for hearing in June.

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