The Borivli hospital’s multi-specialty wings, which were to open last month, will only be ready by next year
Contractor has said that the work will be completed only by May. File pic/Nimesh Dave
The swanky new Bhagwati Hospital will take another year to open, say authorities. What was the reason this time? The contractor stated that the works will finish only by May this year, leaving the much-anticipated new facility of the hospital likely to face a significant delay. The authorities have gone as far as indicating that it may, in fact, take another year before it becomes fully operational with complete medical services.
Bhagwati Hospital’s chief medical officer, Dr Nitiraj Mane, said, “It looks like it will take another year by the time we actually are in a position to give all medical facilities at the new facility.” The hospital was initially expected to begin functioning from January this year. However, construction setbacks have pushed the timeline further.
“A few days back, additional municipal commissioner also in a meeting with the contractor questioned him as to why the work is not being done even when timely payments were done and the remaining payment, promised to be disbursed post completion of work, is also ready. At that time, the contractor stated that just a few minor furniture and electrical works are remaining which will finish in two months or so post which the handover can be done. So if he finishes work by April, the handover process will take another one month,” said Mane.
Furthermore, the authorities also said that post hand over process, the hospital will require an additional six months to install and operationalise medical equipment, including diagnostic machinery, ICU infrastructure, and other essential healthcare systems, considering that the new facility will be a multi-specialty one.
This means that even if construction concludes by mid-year, the facility may not be fully equipped and functional until early next year.
The delay has raised concerns among local residents who were hoping that the upgraded infrastructure would ease the burden on existing healthcare services in the area. “The nearest multi-specialty public hospital for us at present is Cooper Hospital of Andheri. It will take at least one hour to travel one way to reach there in case someone from the family needs to be admitted. How is that, private construction works, in most cases complete within time but the government projects always take time — whether it is healthcare infrastructure or any other. Also, we are seeing the entire building ready for so many months now. How is that internal works are taken almost a year now!” said Usha Sabnis, one of the residents of Borivali West.
Timeline of important events at Bhagwati Hospital
1963 - Established as a small civic-run clinic
1968 - Turned into a 50-bed basic hospital
Between 1968 and 2013 - Was turned into a 373 bed hospital
2013 - However, since the infrastructure declared dilapidated, services shifted to Shatabdi Hospital of Kandivli
2016 - NTC building ready for use so started a 110-bed hospital. Since no OT at NTC building, only medicine facilities were being provided without any surgical services. 181 posts including that of chief medical officer were created to run this 110-bed hospital
February 2025 (during Budget session) - announced to be expanded and run under PPP model
April 2025 - Declared that the hospital will be run completely by the civic body
January 2026 - New multi-specialty hospital was supposed to begin functioning
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