Khajrana hospital stalled by land encroachment, no graft: MP Dy CM Shukla
Synopsis
A government hospital in Indore exists on paper, has 35 staff on its rolls, but no building — and now the Madhya Pradesh Deputy CM is explaining why. The answer: encroachment on the allotted land. But the Opposition's 'ghost hospital' tag has already stuck, and the timeline for clearing the dispute remains open-ended.
Key Takeaways
MP Deputy CM Rajendra Shukla said land encroachment, not corruption, has stalled the proposed hospital at Khajrana, Indore .
The Health Department has been unable to take possession of the allotted site due to ongoing encroachment.
35 paramedical staff recruited during the Covid-19 pandemic for the hospital are currently deputed to other health centres in Indore.
No furniture or medical equipment has been procured for the facility, according to Shukla.
The Indian National Congress has termed the project a 'ghost hospital' and alleged irregularities in staff appointments.
The tender process will begin only after physical possession of the land is secured; no timeline has been given for clearing the encroachment.
Madhya Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla on Tuesday, 7 July defended the stalled government hospital project at Khajrana in Indore, saying land encroachment — not corruption — is the sole reason construction has not begun. The clarification comes after the Opposition labelled the facility a 'ghost hospital', citing staff recruitment for a building that does not yet exist.
Why the Hospital Has Not Been Built
Shukla said the land allotted for the proposed hospital remains under encroachment, preventing the Health Department from taking physical possession of the site. He stated that the moment possession is secured, the government will immediately launch the tender process and begin construction. No furniture or medical equipment has been purchased for the facility, he added, leaving no basis for corruption allegations.
How the Recruited Staff Ended Up Elsewhere
The deputy chief minister explained that the hospital posts had been sanctioned before the Covid-19 pandemic. When the health crisis hit, the state recruited 35 paramedical staff members to address a severe shortage of healthcare personnel across Madhya Pradesh. Since the Khajrana building was not ready, these employees were deputed to other rural and urban health centres in Indore — a decision Shukla defended as a practical response to an emergency rather than an irregularity.
The 'Ghost Hospital' Controversy
The project drew sharp political attention after it emerged that staff had been appointed to a hospital that exists only on paper. The Indian National Congress (INC) alleged irregularities in those appointments, framing the episode as emblematic of governance failures in the state. Critics argue that sanctioning posts for a non-existent building — even under pandemic pressures — raises questions about administrative planning and accountability.
What Happens Next
Shukla reiterated that the state government's priority is resolving the land dispute and handing over the encroached site to the Health Department. Once possession is transferred, the tender process will be set in motion. The timeline for clearing the encroachment, however, was not specified, leaving the project's completion date uncertain.
Point of View
Staff were recruited, and no building exists. The government's encroachment explanation may be legitimate, but it raises a prior question — why was land allotted for a major public health facility without first clearing it of encroachers? Pandemic exigencies explain the staff deployment, but not the absence of a construction timeline even years after the crisis subsided. The real accountability gap here is not corruption per se, but a planning process that allowed a hospital to exist in HR records long before it existed in concrete.
NationPress
7 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why has the Khajrana government hospital in Indore not been built?
According to Deputy CM Rajendra Shukla, the hospital has not been constructed because the Health Department could not take possession of the allotted land, which remains under encroachment. Construction will begin only after the land dispute is resolved and possession is handed over.
What is the 'ghost hospital' controversy in Madhya Pradesh?
The Khajrana hospital in Indore was labelled a 'ghost hospital' by the Opposition Congress after it emerged that 35 paramedical staff had been recruited for a facility whose building has never been constructed. Critics alleged this pointed to irregularities in appointments.
Why were staff recruited for a hospital that does not exist?
Deputy CM Shukla explained that the posts were sanctioned before the Covid-19 pandemic. When the health emergency struck, the state recruited 35 paramedical workers to address a statewide shortage and deputed them to existing health centres in Indore, as the Khajrana building was not ready.
Has any money been spent on equipment or furniture for the Khajrana hospital?
No. Shukla stated that neither furniture nor medical equipment has been purchased for the proposed hospital, which he cited as evidence that there is no basis for corruption allegations.
When will construction of the Khajrana hospital begin?
The state government says the tender process will be initiated immediately after physical possession of the encroached land is transferred to the Health Department. No specific timeline for resolving the encroachment has been announced.
