Mumbai: BMC Scraps ₹1-Crore Blood Bank Analyser Amid Fears Of Costlier Blood Tests

Mumbai, July 27, 2026: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has cancelled the procurement of a Rs 1-crore fully automated immunohematology analyser after concerns were raised over the high cost of proprietary reagents and consumables required to operate the machine.

The decision comes months after The Free Press Journal reported in October 2025 that the proposed machine would require company-specific reagents, making the civic body dependent on a single vendor and substantially increasing the recurring cost of blood banking procedures.

Concerns Over Costs

The proposal had also been opposed by health activist Chetan Kothari, who wrote to the BMC Commissioner and senior officials seeking cancellation of the tender.

In his email, Kothari argued that the machine is primarily used in large private hospitals, where patients are charged extra for specialised blood compatibility tests, and is not suitable for civic hospitals serving economically weaker patients.

Citing a Maharashtra government circular, Kothari pointed out that hospitals can charge Rs 300 for antibody screening, Rs 280 for cross-matching and Rs 500 for phenotyping, warning that blood-related procedures in BMC hospitals could become costlier by Rs 280 to Rs 1,080 if the machine were introduced.

He also expressed concern that the machine would remain underutilised in civic hospitals and could lie idle whenever stocks of its expensive reagents were exhausted, making the investment a waste of public money.

Procurement Cancelled

The procurement had drawn scrutiny at a time when blood banks in BMC hospitals were witnessing declining blood collection and recurring shortages. Experts had also questioned the cost-effectiveness of introducing such high-end technology into the municipal healthcare system.

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Following these objections, the BMC has now scrapped the procurement, ending a proposal that had sparked debate over its financial viability and impact on affordable blood banking services.

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