Plan for medical college likely to be reconsidered

In 2008,the BMC’s civic standing committee approved a proposal for setting up a medical college and provide post-graduation courses for 100 medical students in the western suburbs of the city. The 10-crore project was supposed to be in line with the regulations of Medical Council of India (MCI).However,the proposal was never tabled before the state government or MCI for approval,confirmed Geetal Gawli,chairperson of health committee in BMC.

Earlier the state government’s policy had made it mandatory for a hospital to have a land requirement of minimum of 25 acres to open a medical college.

“That requirement had stalled the project. Now,the policy has been changed and land requirement has been reduced to 10 acres,” Gawli said.

According to Gawli,a joint meeting with the mayor will soon be held to discuss the proposal. “We will also discuss which hospital to choose from the western suburbs for the medical college,” she added. She suggested that it is not yet final if R N Cooper hospital will be chosen for setting up a medical college.

The redevelopment of R N Cooper Hospital,which has an estimated cost of Rs 265.39 crore,was proposed in 2009 and assigned to Unity Infraprojects Limited.

According to Jitendra Gupta,deputy city engineer,BMC,the project was supposed to be completed by November 4,2012. However,till July this year,only 85 percent of the work was complete. “Now the deadline has been shifted to November 2013,” said Manisha Mhaiskar,additional municipal commissioner in BMC.

According to Gupta,BMC commissioner Sitaram Kunte had levied a fine of Rs 1 lakh per day on Unity Infraprojects from June 16. Till now,the company owes a fine of Rs 80 lakh. The fine will be applicable till the project is completed. Project co-ordinator of Unity,Milind Joshi,said the hospital will be handed over to BMC by November.

“There was a delay in finalisation of medical equipment from the BMC’s side. That has been the cause for delay,” Joshi said.

Dr Seema Malik,chief medical superintendent and head of secondary health care services,said the 520-bedded facility will be now extended to 580 beds after redevelopment.

According to Malik,the general-speciality hospital will also have some super-specialty facilities. “There will be 10 beds for intensive coronary care unit and 10 for trauma intensive care unit. We will also allot 40 paying beds for middle-class citizens,just like Kandivali’s Shatabdi hospital,” she said.

tabassum.barnagarwala@expressindia.com