Redevpt of 5 civic hosps to begin soon ………Pratibha Masand
Mumbai: Apart from the 670 new beds in the civic h o s p i t a l s that the BMC has promised M u m b a i – kars, the civic health sector is in for a bonanza this year. Despite the financial crisis the BMC is facing, it has decided to kick-start the redevelopment projects for five civic hospitals, sources said.
The projects will be allocated a budget of Rs 80 crore. Apart from the redevelopment of Cooper, Shatabdi and part of Bhagwati hospitals , two mega projectsat KEM Hospital and the Asgaonkar plot in Jogeshwariare on the cards.
We have divided the projects into three categories. The first is a group of projects that have already taken off, second group comprises those projects that are waiting to start, while the third category is projects that are still in the concept stage. Even though the budget is a little tight this year, we have decided that the projects in the first category will be sufficiently provided for through revised estimates, said additional municipal commissioner, Manisha Mhaiskar.
Though the plan to modernise Bhagwati Hospital in Borivli was conceived four years ago, the tender for the project is yet to be passed. The hospital has to be made an integrated International multi-disciplinary tertiary care institute, which will provide all facilities. The tender is yet to be passed, but the work should start this year, said Dr Mahendra Wadiwala, superintendent of Bhagwati Hospital.
Meanwhile, R N Cooper Hospital in Vile Parle, the largest civic hospital in the western suburbs, has been in dilapidated condition. The BMC has been thinking of redeveloping it for the past five years. The work finally started three months ago.
Shatabdi Hospital in Kandivli is to get a complete revamp with a capacity of 300 beds. Apart from the western suburbs, the BMCs focus this year will be on KEM Hospital in Parel , where a high-rise is to be constructed for specialised departments and residential quarters for medical students.
ON THE ANVIL
* Bhagwati Hospital, Borivli
* R N Cooper Hospital, Vile Parle
* Shatabdi Hospital, Kandivli
* KEM Hospital, Parel
* Hospital on Asgaonkar plot