NEW DELHI: Once marketed for its proximity to a metro station, South Delhi’s Malviya Nagar has seen a quiet shift in what defines its appeal. In the narrow lanes of the neighbourhood, a new phrase now dominates hotel signboards, rental advertisements and online listings: “Walking distance from Max hospital.” In an area once promoted for its connectivity, proximity to healthcare has emerged as the most valuable commodity.
This transformation has come into sharp focus after Wednesday’s devastating fire at a bed-and-breakfast hotel in the Press Enclave Road area, barely 400 metres from the hospital.
A walk through the locality reveals dozens of hotels, guest houses, dormitories and rented rooms operating out of narrow multi-storey buildings tucked between restaurants, shops and residential clusters. Many cater almost exclusively to patients and attendants travelling from across India and abroad for medical treatment.
For these families, proximity often outweighs comfort. “We cannot afford Rs 4,000–Rs 5,000 a night and the daily travel expenses to the hospital,” said Ogun, a Nigerian national staying in the area. Rooms are available for as little as Rs 1,700, going up to Rs 4,000 a night for two guests, while some converted residential properties offer dormitory beds for under Rs 800.
Guest house operators acknowledge that proximity to the hospital has become their primary selling point. Advertisements routinely promise a “2-minute walk” or “5-minute walk” to the Max hospital, while details such as room size, facilities or services are secondary. Even rental boards in nearby Hauz Rani, Kumhar Basti and Malviya Nagar chowk prominently advertise properties as being within walking distance of the hospital.
The fire incident has, however, cast a shadow over the area’s hospitality sector.
A former doctor at AIIMS, Dr K Sharma, said, “Large hospitals are creating micro-economies around themselves.”