A public interest petition landed before the Kerala High Court today, spotlighting a fatal collapse at the Kottayam Medical College. What began as a routine day in the Orthopaedics ward turned grim when an ageing bathroom annex gave way, sending debris crashing down on unsuspecting bystanders. A young woman lost her life in an instant, while three others remain in hospital, nursing injuries that range from minor bruises to serious fractures.
The bench, visibly disturbed by the account, pressed officials to explain how a structure so integral to patient care had been left to decay. Advocates for the petitioner painted a stark picture: walls riddled with cracks, corroded plumbing fixtures, and “warning signs ignored for years.” They urged the court to mandate a thorough safety audit of all auxiliary buildings across state-run hospitals.
Government counsel acknowledged the collapse but urged patience, promising an immediate inquiry. The justices, however, made it clear that inquiries alone won’t suffice. They signaled a readiness to enforce regular structural surveys and swift remedial action—measures they said must be non-negotiable if public institutions are to be held to account.
As proceedings adjourned, the families of those injured clung to a single hope: that their ordeal will trigger real change, and that no more lives will be gambled on crumbling infrastructure. The court will revisit the matter next week, with clear instructions for the state to submit a detailed compliance plan.
