Mumbai: BMC Panel Sends Andheri's SevenHills Hospital PPP Proposal Back, Opposes Handover To Capri Global

Mumbai, May 28: The proposal to hand over the 1,500-bed super-speciality SevenHills Hospital in Marol, Andheri, to Capri Global under a public-private partnership (PPP) model was referred back to the BMC administration by the Improvement Committee on Wednesday, following a point of order raised by the opposition and a demand that the BMC should retain full control of the hospital, which saved thousands of lives during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Committee members, including Congress' Ashraf Azmi and Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Vishakha Raut, raised serious questions over the haste in granting an NOC by former Mumbai Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani on the eve of the implementation of the Model Code of Conduct for the 2026 BMC elections, alleged favouritism towards private companies, and doubts over whether 20 per cent of the beds would be reserved for BMC patients, considering past experiences.

Opposition questions hospital handover plan

Azmi said, "The hospital is set on 16 acres of land, for which the market rate is anywhere between Rs 3,000 crore and Rs 5,000 crore. The private company is likely to use the plot for commercial purposes in the near future. Even if the administration tables a revised proposal, we will continue our stand that the BMC should retain full control of the hospital and provide health services to common people."

Azmi also questioned the expertise of Capri Global in operating and managing a hospital, saying its real business is as an insurance company.

Vishakha Raut, who is also a former Mayor of Mumbai, said, "It is not only about one SevenHills Hospital, but if such a proposal is passed, it will set a precedent that any civic health facility stuck in a legal row can be handed over to private parties. The BMC has an annual health budget of Rs 3,500 crore and can easily pay the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) and clear the legal matter. At a time when BMC hospitals are overloaded with patients, it will be a wrong precedent to hand over a multi-speciality hospital to a private party."

The Free Press Journal had reported on May 15 that the BMC is in the final stages of signing a major agreement with Capri Global to revive and redevelop the long-stalled SevenHills Hospital project, ending years of controversy and legal disputes.

The hospital was inaugurated in July 2010 after the BMC entered into a joint venture with Seven Hills and Soma Constructions Ltd for the development of the prime plot in Marol. However, the hospital soon became embroiled in controversy as it failed to comply with the BMC's terms and conditions, including the reservation of 20 per cent of beds for BMC patients.

Blood bank proposal also sent back

The Improvement Committee on Wednesday also referred back the proposal to allow private companies and NGOs to operate civic blood banks, which have traditionally been publicly managed and offered services free of cost.

If passed, the proposal would have allowed the contractor to charge up to Rs 1,100, which the opposition criticised, demanding, "Do not commercialise Mumbaikars' blood."

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Ruling party members, however, said that the proposal was referred back to the administration because the contractor lacked technology that can diagnose HIV and Hepatitis B, and that the proposal was intended to provide blood to Mumbaikars and not sell it.

A revised proposal is expected to be presented before the committee for approval by the administration in the next couple of months.

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