India, April 20 -- The Bombay high court has directed the Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) to restart the Model ESIC Hospital in Andheri by January 31, 2026.

The division bench of justices Alok Aradhe and Makarand Karnik passed the order on Tuesday on a public interest litigation (PIL) claiming the Model ESIC Hospital at Andheri was kept inoperative illegally after it closed was down due to a massive fire seven years ago.

The bench passed the order after advocate Shailesh Pathak for the ESIC informed the court that at the special meeting of the ESIC standing committee held on January 23, 2025, it was decided to entrust reconstruction of the hospital to National Building Construction Company. The company had agreed to comple...