Mumbai: BMC continues to eye pvt hospitals for interim facility

The BMC’s Krantiveer Mahatma Jyotiba Phule at Kannamwar Nagar, Vikhroli, which has been shut down since 2018 after the structure was declared dilapidated.

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is awaiting response from private hospitals to start a temporary hospital in the eastern suburbs. BMC issued an expression of interest in July 2023 but has yet to get a response from the hospital.

As BMC decided to redevelop the civic body-run Krantiveer Mahatma Jyotiba Phule at Kannamwar Nagar, Vikhroli, the administration decided to start a temporary alternative hospital facility in a private hospital. BMC first issued an expression of interest in July 2023. "We have decided to rent at least a 180-bed multispecialty hospital as an alternative to Phule Hospital.

BMC is willing to incur an expense of Rs 58,000 to Rs 60,000 per bed per month, a figure which has been arrived at based on the market rate," a civic official said. The date of submission of expression of interest has been extended till December 10, 2023, the official said. "We will decide on the course of action if we do not receive an expression of interest till the final date... We have already started an 80-bed hospital in the municipal maternity facility at Tagore Nagar, Vikhroli," the official said.

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The redevelopment of the Phule hospital is expected to take three years and BMC intends to provide the hospital service to the local population by renting an existing hospital, the official said. mid-day has been regularly reporting on the issues related to this hospital in the eastern suburbs. The civic body had shut down the 100-bed hospital in 2018 after the building had been declared dilapidated. Initially, a 100-bed hospital was to be built at the site. But the BMC later decided to set up a 500-bed super-specialty hospital instead.