Pune: Nehrunagar jumbo facility to get call centre, additional security

The civic administration has decided to set up a call centre outside the facility. "... It will be functional in a day or two. The call centre will provide information to relatives about the health status of patients," Municipal Commissioner Shravan Hardikar told The Indian Express.

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The PMC has been treating Covid-19 patients at the civic-run Naidu hospital and has a total of 155 beds, including 70 oxygen and seven ICU beds.

In a bid to avoid the host of issues faced by the jumbo hospital at CoEP, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has taken a slew of steps to streamline the functioning of the 800-bed jumbo hospital in Nehrunagar.

The civic administration has decided to set up a call centre outside the facility. “… It will be functional in a day or two. The call centre will provide information to relatives about the health status of patients. It will also provide information to people about the availability of beds,” Municipal Commissioner Shravan Hardikar told The Indian Express on Monday.

“We are also planning to put out medical bulletins… the doctors will provide information about the patients’ health at least twice a day,” said the PCMC chief.

The civic administration will not allow patients, who are undergoing treatment at different hospitals in the city, to be shifted to the facility. Civic officials said they are primarily admitting patients who have been tested at YCM Hospital, a dedicated Covid hospital.

Hardikar said so far, 300 patients had been admitted at the facility. “Of these, seven have died while 12 have been discharged,” he said.

The civic chief added, “… We will allow our medical team to settle down and get their act together. At the same time, we cannot deny permission to patients whose oxygen levels have dipped to 30 and 40 per cent and who need immediate ventilator beds. We have to consider all aspects before admitting patients”.

“We have also increased security outside the facility,” he added.

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PCMC Additional Municipal Commissioner Santosh Patil said,”We are ensuring that existing patients are stabilised… other patients will be admitted in a phase-wise manner… and only when most of the current patients have been taken care of…”.

The jumbo hospital is a joint initiative of the PCMC, PMRDA and the district collectorate. A private agency is looking after the management of the hospital. “The agency has provided 600 staffers, including doctors, nurses and other support staff. It is the only agency managing the hospital,” said Hardikar.

Meanwhile, at the Auto Cluster Covid Care Centre, staffers showered flowers on five patients who were discharged on Monday.

“There are also curbs on the admission of patients at the Auto Cluster facility… we will admit patients in phase-wise manner,” said Patil.

Manoj Dattatrye More

Manoj Dattatrye More is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, having been with the publication since 1992. Based in Pune, he is a veteran journalist with a 33-year career that spans editorial desk work, investigative reporting, and political analysis. Professional Legacy Experience: He spent his first 16 years on the editorial desk before moving into active field reporting. He has written over 20,000 stories, including more than 10,000 bylined articles. Impact Journalism: He is widely respected for "campaign-style" reporting that leads to tangible social change. Road Safety: His decade-long campaign regarding the dangerous state of the Pune-Mumbai highway in Khadki resulted in a ₹23 crore reconstruction project in 2006, which dramatically reduced fatalities. Environmental Protection: His reports against tree cutting on the Pune-Mumbai and Pune-Nashik highways saved approximately 2,000 trees. Anti-Corruption: During the COVID-19 pandemic, he exposed a scam where doctors were being asked to pay bribes for government jobs, resulting in them being hired without payment. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Manoj More's recent work focuses heavily on the shifting political landscape of Maharashtra and civic governance in the Pimpri-Chinchwad area: 1. Political Shifts & Alliances "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): A major report on the local self-government election results, detailing the NCP’s stronghold in Baramati, Indapur, and Lonavala. "BJP ropes in 13 ex-corporators, deals major blow to NCP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant political defection in Pimpri-Chinchwad as the BJP gears up for civic polls. "Congress opts for solo BMC run as alliance talks with Sena (UBT) collapse" (Dec 17, 2025): Covering the breakdown of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) talks for the Mumbai civic elections. "NCP(SP)'s Rahul Kalate, Sena (UBT) leader Sanjog Waghere set to join BJP" (Dec 19, 2025): Detailing high-profile party-hopping ahead of the municipal elections. 2. Civic & Administrative Accountability "PCMC draws ire for issuing tenders worth Rs 250 crore just before poll code" (Dec 17, 2025): An investigative piece on the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s last-minute spending spree before election restrictions. "93 killed in 76 accidents in five years: Bypass service roads in Pune remain undeveloped for 18 yrs" (Nov 16, 2025): A critical look at the long-delayed infrastructure projects contributing to fatalities on Pune’s bypass roads. 3. Social & Labor Issues "As state says TCS has laid off 376 employees: FITE flags figures, say nearly 2,500 were forced to quit" (Dec 11, 2025): Investigating conflicting reports regarding IT sector layoffs in Maharashtra. "Maharashtra govt move to 'downgrade' Aadhaar cards" (Nov 30, 2025): Reporting on the state’s decision to require additional documents alongside Aadhaar to combat identity misuse. Signature Beat Manoj More is the definitive voice on Pimpri-Chinchwad, an industrial hub he has covered for three decades. His reporting is characterized by its aggressive stance against local "gondaism" (thuggery) and a relentless focus on civic infrastructure—choked drains, garbage management, and public transport. X (Twitter): @manojmore91982 ... Read More

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