State to spend Rs 100 crore for two suburban hospitals

In a bid to reach out to distant suburbs in the city and augment health services in these areas, the state health public department will soon finalise the plan along with estimates for two public hospitals in the city. The hospitals will have a capacity of 300 beds each and will be built at Malwani and ESIS hospital campus in Mulund respectively.

Health grounds:Most of city's medical needs are being met by J J Hospital (left) at Byculla and Lokmanya Tilak Hospital in Sion. File pic

The state cabinet has already given an in-principle approval for the new hospitals as the city is in dire need of more state-run healthcare facilities. Currently, most of the city's medical needs are being met by Lokmanya Tilak hospital in Sion and J J Hospital at Byculla. The two BMC-run hospitals, Bhagwati and Cooper in western suburbs and Rajawadi in eastern part of the city have not been able to keep up with the demand and need upgradation in terms of latest medical facilities.

In his written reply to a question raised in State Assembly, Public Health Minister Suresh Shetty said that the state cabinet has given its in-principle approval for the 300-bedded hospitals in western and eastern suburbs.

However, his department remained quiet on whether it is considering demands of setting up another hospital on a 2-lakh sqft plot at Runwal Greens near Mulund-Goregaon Link Road junction at Subhash Nagar, which has been reserved for civic amenities. The question was raised by Maharashtra Navnirmanu00a0Sena (MNS) MLA Shishir Shinde.

Additional chief secretary T C Benjamin told this newspaper that the estimates and construction plan for the hospitals, being prepared by the Public Works Department (PWD) is in the final stage.

The two hospitals will be granted FSI 3 and will have all the modern facilities that will keep them at par with private hospitals.

Currently, the state operates a small hospital on a 2.5-acre plot at Malwani, which will be replaced by the new facility for western suburbs.

The hospital for the eastern suburbs will come up in the sprawling ESIS hospital campus in Mulund.

Authorities also mentioned that as soon as the plans are finalised by the PWD, construction would commence on both the projects, which may be before the upcoming Lok Sabha and state elections next year.u00a0