87 Staff, Zero Patients: How Indore’s Six-Year ‘Ghost Hospital’ Became a Symbol of Administrative Failure
Approved in 2020, Madhya Pradesh’s Khajrana Civil Hospital still has no land or building, yet 87 government posts have been sanctioned and staff transfers continue, triggering political controversy and demands for accountability.
A startling case of administrative dysfunction has emerged from Madhya Pradesh’s Indore, where a proposed government hospital has existed only on official records for nearly six years. Despite having no land, no building, no beds and no patients, the Khajrana Civil Hospital continues to operate on paper with sanctioned staff, official postings and transfer orders.
The 100-bed civil hospital was approved by the Madhya Pradesh government on June 23, 2020, to strengthen healthcare services in Khajrana and nearby rapidly expanding localities. The project was expected to serve more than three lakh residents while reducing pressure on major public hospitals in Indore, including MY Hospital, MTH Hospital and the District Hospital.
However, six years later, construction has not even begun. Authorities have yet to secure or take possession of suitable land, leaving the project stalled before the first brick could be laid.
Despite the absence of any physical infrastructure, the Health Department sanctioned 87 government posts for the proposed hospital. These include specialist doctors, medical officers, nurses, pharmacists, laboratory technicians and support staff. Official records also show that transfer orders have continued to be issued in the hospital’s name, including the transfer of a laboratory technician in June 2026.
Health officials have clarified that although these employees remain attached to Khajrana Civil Hospital on departmental records, they are actually working at other government healthcare facilities across Indore, including PC Sethi Hospital, Hukumchand Hospital and various Sanjeevani Clinics where manpower shortages exist.
Deputy Chief Minister and Health Minister Rajendra Shukla defended the government’s position, stating that the project was delayed because suitable land could not be identified. According to him, the sanctioned posts remain visible on the department’s portal, allowing staff to be temporarily deployed elsewhere until construction begins. He added that efforts to identify land for the hospital are continuing.
Chief Medical and Health Officer Dr. Madhav Hasani also maintained that the sanctioned workforce has been effectively utilised at existing healthcare institutions and Sanjeevani Clinics to ensure public services are not disrupted while the proposed hospital awaits construction.
The issue has nevertheless triggered a political storm. Opposition leaders have questioned how appointments and transfers could continue for a hospital that has never existed physically, describing the episode as evidence of serious administrative irregularities. They have demanded a high-level inquiry into the approvals, staffing decisions and project delays, with indications that the matter will be raised during the upcoming session of the Madhya Pradesh Assembly.
For residents of Khajrana, Musakhedi, Tejaji Nagar, Bicholi Hapsi and adjoining areas, the consequences extend beyond political debate. The absence of the promised hospital means patients must continue travelling to already overcrowded government hospitals elsewhere in Indore, increasing waiting times and pressure on existing public healthcare infrastructure.
The controversy has reignited broader questions about project execution, bureaucratic accountability and infrastructure planning in the public health sector. While the government insists the hospital remains an approved project delayed only by land acquisition issues, critics argue that six years without construction despite sanctioned manpower reflects deeper governance challenges that require independent scrutiny.
