MCD Overhauls Health Policy While Ramping Up Crackdown on Illegal Buildings

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has rolled out a fresh Health Empanelment Policy that, for the first time, brings cash‑less indoor treatment to a wider circle of beneficiaries. Regular employees and their families will now enjoy treatment at empanelled hospitals at CGHS rates, without having to cough up cash upfront. Even contractual staff – a group that previously fell through the cracks – and their dependents are finally covered.

Pensioners and family pensioners keep their cash‑less privilege, while senior citizens aged 70 and above can see specialists directly, without the usual referral hurdle. The policy also reaches out to eligible Delhi residents living elsewhere; they can seek care at government hospitals, with reimbursements calculated on the prescribed CGHS scale.

Mayor Pravesh Wahi, speaking at the launch, said the move widens healthcare options for thousands and urged officials to roll it out swiftly. "We want no one to be left behind when it comes to medical care," he added, underscoring the administration’s commitment.

At the same time, the MCD hasn’t taken its foot off the brake when it comes to enforcing building regulations. A city‑wide sweep continued on Saturday, targeting structures that flout the Master Plan of Delhi and the building bye‑laws.

In that single day, demolition crews knocked down 29 illegal buildings across all 12 zones, and sealed three more properties for non‑compliance. The numbers echo a larger effort: just the day before, 41 buildings were razed and 10 more sealed, with hotspots in Rajouri Garden Extension, Jeevan Park, Nawada, Kharian Mohalla, Baljeet Nagar, Moti Nagar, Pandav Nagar and Mandoli.

Officials say the crackdown is about public safety, not just paperwork. "Unauthorised construction poses real risks to residents," a senior officer noted, promising that the enforcement drive will press on with full vigor.

Both the health policy overhaul and the demolition drive signal a dual focus for the MCD: expanding essential services while safeguarding the city’s structural integrity.