Mumbai civic body’s standing committee sanctions Sion hospital revamp proposal

The much-delayed revamp plan for Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital or Sion hospital will finally get a boost as the civic standing committee on Friday sanctioned

The much-delayed revamp plan for Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital or Sion hospital will finally get a boost as the civic standing committee on Friday sanctioned the proposal worth more than ₹600 crore including taxes. The revamp involves construction in a plot spread across 32 acres which will be completed in three phases over the next five years.

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As per the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) plan, the revamp includes upgradation of the hospital to 1,900 beds across 19 storeys, construction of a 25-storey hostel and a 20-storey medical college. It will also include redeveloping staff quarters and a three-storey transit accommodation building. The hospital will also have quarters for nurses and resident medical officers. A senior civic official said, “The reconstruction of the hospital building will be done in phases, so it does not affect the operations as they will continue throughout.”

The BMC standing committee is a 26-member statutory body which handles the allotment of tenders and controls the treasury. Few corporators from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) who are members of the committee strongly opposed the proposal in Friday’s meeting. Bhalchandra Shirsat, BJP corporator, said, “The work is essential and we are not opposing the work. However, the opposition is to the way this contract was awarded to the bidder. There are irregularities in finalising the contractor for the work.”

Ravi Raja, leader of opposition in the civic body and Congress leader, said, “This is such an important proposal for the city. The hospital handles hundreds of patients on a daily basis and its revamp is crucial. Such baseless opposition to the proposal is unnecessary.”