Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) corporators sat on a dharna outside the municipal commissioner's office on Friday afternoon, over the non-availability of beds for COVID-19 patients. They demanded the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) immediately take over 80 per cent of the beds from private hospitals, as COVID-19 patients are not getting beds and deaths are increasing. The corporators also demanded that a dashboard be put up at the BMC HQ so real-time data of available beds is procured.

The agitation in the BMC headquarters came after they sent several letters and raised the issue of unavailability of beds. At least 15 BJP corporators along with group leader Prabhakar Shinde, sat on the dharna. "The state government had issued an order on May 21 to take over 80 per cent of beds from private hospitals, but the BMC hasn't done anything in the past 14 days. The patients are running around for a bed, and many deaths have occurred due to unavailability of beds. We sent several letters and requests but the BMC is not doing anything," said Shinde, group leader.