25 January,2009 05:51 AM IST | | Shailesh Bhatia
The razing of a 150-year-old heritage structure which housed the old wing of Rukmanibai Hospital in Kalyan (W), to accommodate a sprawling mall has turned into a struggle between local residents and civic authorities.
Ironically, the hospital, which stood on approximately two acres of prime land, was financed by the late Mangaldas Nathubhai, who had generously donated Rs 50,000 way back in 1864 to Kalyan Municipal authorities for the construction of a charitable hospital (Sunday MiD DAY has procured the property card from corporator Stella Morais to substantiate the claim).
The plot is currently estimated to fetch between Rs 22 and 26 crore.
According to Municipal Corporator Stella Morais, of the Kalyan Dombivali Municipal Corporation, the new building of the hospital, which was inaugurated in 1099, has approximately 120 beds and has to cater to the medical needs of up to 25 lakh residents who come from as far as Murbad, Ambarnath, Bhiwandi and over a hundred villages, in and around the Kalyan-Karjat-Kasara belt.
"It is apparent that the civic bodies just don't care about the needs of the common man and are only interested in commercial gains. Heaven forbid, if there is a calamity tomorrow, will patients be put up in a mall?"
asks Morais, who has written a strong letter to the Maharashtra Chief Minister, Urban Secretary, Mantralaya and Town Planning Department (Sunday MiD DAY has a copy).
Morais adds that they had managed to stop the demolition of a single tower, in a magnificent colonial design, which still stands amongst the debris of the hospital. "I'm sure that the late Mangaldas, who was also responsible for the market named after him in Mumbai, must be rolling in his grave, to know that his generosity is today being utilised to make money. The same land could have been used to construct a charitable hospital," says Morais.
She adds that according to her information, the corporation has signed a multi-crore deal with a builder from Nagpur for the mall construction.
Chief medical officer Dr Sarita Patil, of Rukmanibai Hospital, too stressed on the urgent need for enhanced medical facilities in Kalyan. "All railway causalities from in and around Kalyan are brought to our hospital. With a major space crunch, we are not in a position to tackle calamities. An area donated for a charitable cause should be utilised accordingly. The huge plot can easily be used to construct a multi-facility, charitable hospital, with specialty wards for maternity, pediatrics, dialysis and blood bank."
Similar sentiments were expressed by hospital matrons Sumati Lapre and Prema Manoli, who served in the old hospital. "It was in perfect condition and could have easily been converted into medical facility with modern amenities. It's heartbreaking to see a magnificent structure reduced to rubble, that too to construct a mall," said Lapre, who has been associated with the hospital for over 25 years.
Resident speak
Ismail Sheikh, a local resident responsible for transporting railway causalities to the hospital, reveals that he's seen many accident victims losing their lives because of inadequate medical facilities. "Log mar rahe hain and government wants to construct a commercial shopping area for the rich," he complains.
Civic authorities say
When contacted, the assistant municipal commissioner Govind Rao Rathore passes the buck to his predecessors, who apparently took the decision to construct the mall. "All decisions pertaining to the redevelopment project were taken before I took charge," he says.
Asked if construction of a mall on a property donated for charitable purposes was justified, he refuses to comment, but says he will take appropriate action if this is proved.
Deputy Mayor of Kalyan, Narendra Pawar, says it's a known fact that the razed structure stood on land donated for a charitable cause. He's aware of the controversy, but doesn't have details on it.
Mangaldas asked to name hospital after wife, says Thane historian
Sunday MiD DAY met Dr Srinivas Sathe who has done his doctorate on the history of Kalyan, archiving the heritage of Kalyan. Dr Sathe refers to his book which tracks the history of the Kalyan Muncipal Corporation from 1852 to 1900. "The laying ouf the railway tracks and a prevailing epidemic of malaria claimed many lives, as there were no medical facilities available for the sick and the wounded. The British government was not keen to spend any money to initiate medical facilities so a rich businessman Mangaldas Nathubhai, donated Rs 40,000 for the hospital building and medical equipment. Furthermore, he deposited an additional Rs 10,000 as a promissory note to maintain the charitable hospital named after his ailing wife Rukmani," informs Sathe. He added that subsequently in around 2001, the structure was identified and listed as a heritage structure in the government records.u00a0
