The Allahabad High Court has expressed grave concerns about the state of medical infrastructure in Prayagraj, stating that it is severely threatened by private "medical mafias." Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal made the observation on Friday, May 24, 2025, while hearing a case related to the Swaroop Rani Nehru (SRN) Hospital, attached to Motilal Nehru Medical College. The court noted the hospital's "pathetic condition," suggesting it was more of a mortuary than a functioning medical facility.
The court's harsh assessment was prompted by a report submitted by two amicus curiae, appointed by the court, following an inspection of SRN Hospital. The report highlighted the inadequacy of facilities and the non-availability of doctors in the Outpatient Department (OPD). The court took a serious note of these deficiencies, emphasizing the failure of the state and district administrations to provide basic medical facilities to Prayagraj residents.
Justice Agarwal asserted that Prayagraj is "under the grip of medical mafias." He pointed out that poor and helpless patients are being exploited by touts working for these mafias, who divert them to private medical setups instead of allowing them to receive treatment at the government hospitals attached to the medical college. The court went so far as to say that a nexus exists between private medical mafias and medical officers and staff at SRN Hospital, which has crippled the infrastructure and working conditions of the facility. The court warned that if these private medical mafias are not immediately curbed, the government medical services will completely collapse.
The High Court also criticized public representatives from Prayagraj for their apparent lack of interest in the welfare of their constituents. It noted that while cities like Lucknow, Kanpur, and Gorakhpur have hospitals with capacities exceeding 2000 beds, Prayagraj has a medical capacity of only 1750 beds, despite hosting the massive Kumbh Mela in January-February 2025, which saw an estimated 66.30 crore pilgrims. The court acknowledged that it was only by "the grace of God" that no untoward incident occurred during the event, given the lack of adequate medical facilities.
The court issued several directives aimed at improving the condition of SRN Hospital. It instructed the Uttar Pradesh Principal Secretary to bring the order to the attention of the state government, placing it before the Chief Secretary and, if necessary, the Chief Minister for consideration. The Municipal Commissioner of Prayagraj was ordered to clear the sewage lines and the hospital premises within 48 hours. The District Magistrate was directed to form a team to monitor doctors engaging in private practice. Further directives addressed the unauthorized use of hospital lawns for private events, the operation of unauthorized shops on the campus, and the overall security of the hospital. An interim report is to be filed before the Court on May 29, 2025.
This is not the first time the Allahabad High Court has addressed issues related to medical practices in the region. In January 2025, the court directed the Uttar Pradesh government to conduct an inquiry into whether doctors at state-run medical colleges were engaging in private practice at nursing homes. This inquiry was prompted by a case where a doctor from Motilal Nehru Medical College was accused of providing improper treatment at a private nursing home.
The situation in Prayagraj reflects a larger issue of corruption and inadequate healthcare services in Uttar Pradesh. In December 2024, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav criticized the state's health services, alleging corruption, the dominance of drug mafias, and the proliferation of fake platelets and medicines. He called on the state government to take responsibility and expose those behind these illegal activities.
The Allahabad High Court has scheduled the next hearing for May 29, underscoring the urgency and importance of addressing the crisis in Prayagraj's medical infrastructure.
