Despite handover to state, MBMC will have to bear Rs 10-cr burden to complete hospital

It was inaugurated, despite being incomplete, and now the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) run Bharat Ratna Pandit Bhimsen Joshi ( Tembha) Civic Hospital is in its final stages of being transferred to the state public health wing.

Although its elevation to a sub-district entity would pave the way for upgradation of services at the 100-bed hospital, the MBMC will have to spend another Rs10 crore towards setting up operation theaters, ICUs and other civil-related work.

However, the pending work will not hamper the transition process. Even though the medical establishment was ready to start operations for the past couple of years, the MBMC had been expressing its financial restrains to sustain the huge administrative expenses. However, directives from the judiciary put the onus of initiating and operating the hospital upon the MBMC which in an attempt to escape contempt proceedings reluctantly started a limited 100-bed facility.

Interestingly the MBMC had affirmed before the judiciary that it will ensure that the hospital will become 100 percent operational (200-beds) in a phase-wise manner till March 31 next year.

It should be noted that a budgetary allocation of Rs. 8.91 crore was estimated to construct a 4-storey structure. However, as per the audit findings, the actual tender value shot up by a whopping 55% (around Rs.14 crore) in 2009, this despite a ceiling limit of 24% officially recommended by the technical advisor.

Apart from ambiguities towards the actual status of recovery on account of excavation royalty, missed deadline penalty and accountability of the mandated defect liability period, there were also other discrepancies pointed out in the audit report.