NE HEALTH BUREAU
CHENNAI, MAY 3
Welcoming a major policy shift, NATHEALTH has endorsed the Government’s notification of the National Building Construction Standards (NBCS) 2026, describing it as a transformative step toward addressing long-standing infrastructure bottlenecks in India’s healthcare sector.
The revised norms ease height restrictions for hospitals and permit Intensive Care Units (ICUs) beyond 45 metres—subject to stringent fire safety provisions—opening the door for vertical expansion and improved capacity, especially in high-density urban centres.
- NATHEALTH Backs New Norms Allowing ICUs Beyond 45 Metres with Enhanced Safety
- Reform Eases Land and Height Constraints, Unlocks Bed Capacity in Urban India
- Vertical Expansion to Boost Efficiency, Reduce Costs and Improve Patient Access
- Industry Leaders Call Move Timely for Scalable, Future-Ready Healthcare Systems
- ‘Swasth Bharat se Viksit Bharat’ Vision Gets Infrastructure Push
Sangita Reddy, President, NATHEALTH and Group Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group.
“The new NBCS 2026 rules mark a significant and timely step towards enabling future-ready healthcare infrastructure in India. This is a progressive reform that NATHEALTH has consistently advocated for in the larger public good. By unlocking much-needed capacity across the healthcare ecosystem, it will enable hospitals to operate more efficiently and optimise costs benefits that can ultimately be passed on to patients, while maintaining the highest standards of safety.”
For years, escalating land costs and restrictive building norms have limited hospital expansion, resulting in constrained bed capacity. The new standards are expected to change that equation by enabling better utilisation of existing infrastructure and reducing dependence on expensive greenfield projects.
Varun Khanna, Vice President, NATHEALTH and Group Managing Director, Quality Care India Ltd. said,
“Addressing structural constraints has long been core priority to the evolution of India’s healthcare system. This reform has the potential to unlock capacity in a far more efficient manner, enabling hospitals to expand without proportionate increases in capital expenditure by optimally leveraging existing infrastructure, following safety standards. More importantly, strengthening healthcare infrastructure is not just a sectoral priority – it is an economic imperative. The ability to deliver timely, high-quality care at scale has a direct bearing on health outcomes, workforce productivity, and the broader resilience of the economy.”
Echoing the sentiment, Ashutosh Raghuvanshi, Managing Director & CEO, Fortis Healthcare, highlighted the financial and operational advantages of vertical growth.
“Land and construction costs remain a significant component of the overall investment required to build a hospital. The ability to expand vertically and make better use of existing facilities is therefore a critical enabler. This will help address capacity gaps in high-density urban centres while avoiding the long gestation periods associated with new hospital developments. Over the longer term, such measures can contribute to more sustainable cost structures and improved access to quality care.”
Industry experts note that the reform aligns with India’s urgent need for scalable healthcare infrastructure amid rising demand for advanced medical care. By combining vertical expansion with robust safety norms, NBCS 2026 is expected to lay the foundation for resilient, efficient and patient-centric healthcare delivery systems.
NATHEALTH also commended the Bureau of Indian Standards for introducing the updated framework, reaffirming its commitment to collaborate in strengthening India’s healthcare ecosystem.
