MMRDA hands over 1,000-bed hospital to BMC

Much-needed: The hospital at BKC will also have a pathology lab for blood tests, an ECG machine, and rooms for doctors and nurses.

Mumbai added another 1,000 beds to its dedicated COVID-19 facilities on Monday, with the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) handing over a new hospital built at Bandra Kurla Complex to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

The BMC has already appointed staff for the hospital, which will become operational soon for mild to severely symptomatic patients. Spread over 1.25 lakh sq.ft., the hospital was constructed in less than 15 days.

The MMRDA had deployed 70 employees and 350 workers for the job. The MMRDA grounds at Bandra Kurla Complex are typically used for concerts or fairs and hence did not have critical facilities such as sewage lines, water and electricity connections, all of which have now been provided.

Non-critical patients

The hospital will treat non-critical COVID-19 patients. Of the 1,026 beds in the hospital, 504 have oxygen support. The hospital also has 10 mobile ICU beds. The BMC has appointed 13 doctors, eight nurses and 14 ward boys, and may increase the numberof personnel as per requirement.

It will also have a pathology lab with facilities for blood tests, an ECG machine in an enclosure, and rooms for doctors and nurses.

Monsoon ready

The hospital is housed in a waterproof ‘German tent’ (a hangar-like structure), 235 m in length and 40 m in width. MMRDA officials said it was designed to be operational through the monsoons. It has said that if required, the facility can be expanded to accommodate 5,000 beds.

The hospital was handed over to the BMC on Monday in the presence of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.