The BJP now wants the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to use SevenHills Hospital’s state-of-the-art facilities for even non-COVID patients. Abhijeet Samant, corporator from K East ward and BJP leader, has written to civic chief IS Chahal asking him to allow admission of non-COVID patients to the hospital, as the number of active COVID patients is low.

Around 200 beds were allocated to non-COVID patients from January to March 2021 when the caseload was very little, and such patients were charged concessional rates. However, owing to the second wave, the BMC stopped the arrangement and it has not been re-introduced yet despite low number of cases. The corporator insisted that instead of wasting the available beds and facilities, the civic body can put them to use for those who cannot afford a private hospital but are wary of going to municipal hospitals.