Mumbai: BMC looks to rent flats for HBT clinics

The BMC has set up nine porta cabins or container clinics so far

Struggling to find space for HBT clinics, the BMC is now looking to rent apartments near slums for the same. The civic body has on Thursday published a notice seeking applications from citizens willing to lend their premises for the clinic.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, in its 2022-23 budget, announced the opening of 227 Hinduhrudaysamrat Balasaheb Thackarey (HBT) clinics to provide health facilities to Mumbaikars near their homes. Accordingly, it has started 28 HBT clinics in existing civic dispensaries, 13 polyclinics as well as nine porta cabins or container clinics. The BMC, however, faced hurdles in increasing the number due to space constraints.

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A senior BMC official said that HBT clinics were designed specifically to start in slums, but there is not enough space in slums. As per the civic body, it needs 600 to 1,000 sq ft area to set up HBT clinics, and around 2,000 sq ft for polyclinics.

Assistant Municipal Commissioner Mahendra Ubale from M East ward said, "We are searching for a space to start an HBT polyclinic. We have already started one HBT clinic on our premises. But due to a shortage of space, we have issued a public notice for getting an apartment on rent."