Mumbai: Suburban hospitals' revamp gets impetus

After several delays, the MT Agarwal Hospital in Mulund is finally ready for its redevelopment. Proposal for a Rs 457 crore revamp project has been readied, and will be tabled in the next Standing Commitee meeting. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is also ready with proposals for the makeovers of Bhagwati Hospital in Borivali and Govandi's Shatabdi Hospital, while contractors are also finalised.

There are 18 peripheral (suburban) hospitals in the city, but most patients go to KEM, Sion Hospital and Nair Hospital. To reduce their burden, BMC planned to develop four suburban hospitals as multi-speciality ones. Andheri's Cooper Hospital has already been converted into a super-speciality hospital.

The tender process was scrapped in 2018 after amounts quoted were higher than estimated. BMC then revised the rates. The new tender process has been completed, and the proposal to sanction the contract will be on the Standing Committee's agenda.