100-bed hospital in Uran soon, Bombay High Court told

In a few years, a 100-bed multispecialty hospital would come up near the under-construction airport in Uran to treat accident victims in the Golden Hour, the state government on Wednesday informed the Bombay High Court.

Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhakoni told the court, "CIDCO has allotted a plot of land where the proposed hospital would come up. The government has appealed to different multinational companies operating in and around JNPT area to contribute funds for the hospital. The companies have responded positively."

Kumbhakoni also said the state is planning to enhance a rural hospital in Uran with an annex to start a trauma centre for accident victims.

The court was hearing a public interest litigation by Uran Samajik Sanstha, which claimed that National Highway 348 (erstwhile NH 4B) and National Highway 348A (erstwhile SH54), which pass through Navi Mumbai and Panvel towards JNPT, are mostly used by heavy vehicles and liners that carry goods to and from the port.

Since not all get entry inside JNPT, heavy vehicles are parked along the road, congesting traffic. Since there is no service road for light vehicles, many mishaps occur.

From January 1 till September end, around 26,585 traffic offences were registered within traffic limits of Uran, Nhavasheva and Gavhan phata, on these two national highways.

The court said the situation is grave but traffic police needs to patrol the area.

10-YEAR TOLL

• In last 10 years, some 1,000 residents of villages near Uran have met with fatal accidents involving heavy vehicles bound for the Port.