BJP leader Kirit Somaiya alleges ‘land scam’ in ₹10,000-crore Mumbai hospital plan

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kirit Somaiya has alleged ‘land fixing’ by the state government and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in the process

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kirit Somaiya has alleged ‘land fixing’ by the state government and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in the process of acquiring land for a proposed 5,000-bed hospital in Mulund for infectious diseases. The BJP leader on Friday said that the process for the acquisition moved at a suspicious pace as it was for the benefit of a particular builder.

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Somaiya said that after inviting bids on July 30, for the land in eastern suburbs, only they received two proposals, of which one was fake. He alleged that the proposal, with an estimated cost of ₹10,000 crore, was cleared by the BMC in just two months.

“Actually, it is the state government’s ‘understanding’ with the builder. The land parcel and its cost were finalised first, and then the proposal for the hospital was moved, citing the Covid-19 outbreak. It’s a land scam,” Somaiya said.

Including land and operation costs, the hospital is going to cost ₹12,000 crore, which will have to be borne by the citizens of the city, he said.

The BMC has denied any wrongdoing in the matter. A senior BMC official said, “We had floated an expression of interest, and had received proposals to it. We have not purchased any land parcel yet. Also, after going through technicalities, the civic commissioner has already written to the state government to take up the project.”