Ghatkopar's Rajawadi hospital redevelopment work to begin next week, says Mumbai mayor Ritu Tawde

Mumbai Mayor Rity Tawde reviewing the project on-site

Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde on Thursday has directed officials to begin construction of the Phase 1 building of Rajawadi Hospital's redevelopment project in Ghatkopar by next week, stressing that further delays will not be tolerated.

Reviewing the project on-site, Tawde said the hospital is under significant pressure due to a high patient load and that any delay in redevelopment is unacceptable.

According to a release, she instructed authorities to secure all pending permissions on a war footing to ensure the immediate commencement of work.

The redevelopment of Seth V.C. Gandhi and M.A. Vora Municipal General Hospital, popularly known as Rajawadi Hospital, includes the construction of a 600-bed facility in the first phase.

The proposed structure will comprise a lower basement, basement, ground floor, and 10 upper floors, with a built-up area of approximately 33,179 square metres and equipped with modern medical infrastructure.

Officials said the foundation stone for the project was laid in December 2025 and that construction will begin once permissions related to minor minerals and debris clearance are obtained.

Expressing displeasure over the four-month delay since the groundbreaking, Tawde directed officials to escalate administrative hurdles to senior authorities and seek support from elected representatives to resolve issues swiftly. She emphasised that obtaining necessary approvals is the contractor's responsibility and warned against any further delays.

The Mayor also instructed officials to ensure that construction activities do not inconvenience patients at the existing hospital, particularly in terms of noise, dust, and disruption.

She further directed that local councillors be kept informed at every stage of the project and called for a detailed presentation on the redevelopment at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation headquarters.

Maharashtra launches slum-free Mumbai campaign, deploys NETRAM system to track encroachments

In a bid to transform Mumbai into a slum-free city, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister (CM) Eknath Shinde on Monday announced the Hinduhrudaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Urban Public Welfare Campaign.

The initiative aims to fast-track slum redevelopment while deploying the advanced NETRAM (Network for Encroachment Tracking and Reporting for Mumbai) system to prevent fresh illegal encroachments, news agency IANS reported.

Shinde said the campaign, launched during the birth centenary year of Balasaheb Thackeray, is a tribute to the late leader's vision for Mumbai.

The government's move is expected to give a major push to redevelopment efforts and enable residents to shift to safer, well-equipped housing.

"We are committed to realising Balasaheb Thackeray's dream of a slum-free Mumbai through this mission," he said.

The campaign will prioritise slum clusters spread over more than 50 acres where at least 51 per cent of the area is occupied by slums. The Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) will implement cluster redevelopment projects across large parcels of private, government, and semi-government land.