Mumbai: Congress MLA and Deputy Leader of the Congress Legislative Party in Maharashtra, Amin Patel, has strongly opposed the proposed move by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to hand over the Seven Hills Hospital project in Marol to a private corporate entity under a revised public-private partnership (PPP) model.
Calls It One of India's Largest Public Healthcare Assets
In a letter addressed to Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide, Patel expressed “deep concern and strong opposition” to the proposal, stating that the Seven Hills Hospital project, built on prime municipal land, represents one of the largest public healthcare infrastructure opportunities available to any urban local body in the country.
The proposal to hand over the hospital to an investment firm is expected to be tabled before the BMC improvement committee later this week. The proposal was first reported by The Free Press Journal in its May 19, 2026 edition.
Says BMC Should Not Surrender Control After Earlier PPP Failure
Patel argued that at a time when affordable and accessible healthcare remains one of Mumbai’s biggest challenges, the civic body should not surrender control of such a critical public asset to another private operator, particularly after the failure of the earlier PPP model. He pointed out that the previous arrangement resulted in financial distress, insolvency proceedings, prolonged litigation and eventual operational collapse.
The Congress leader noted that during the Covid-19 pandemic, the BMC itself successfully took over and operated the hospital under the Disaster Management Act, proving that the corporation has the administrative capacity and healthcare expertise required to independently manage a large tertiary care facility.
Points to Success of Other BMC-Run Hospitals Like KEM and Sion
Citing the success of BMC-run institutions such as King Edward Memorial Hospital and Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital, Patel said municipal hospitals in Mumbai already provide high-quality and affordable treatment to lakhs of patients from across Maharashtra and India.
He also raised concerns over the proposed lease structure, which reportedly grants a 30-year lease with automatic extension provisions, calling it a long-term transfer of valuable public land and infrastructure into private hands. Patel criticised the proposal reserving only 20 per cent of beds and OPD services for BMC-referred patients, saying it undermines the purpose of public healthcare infrastructure built on municipal land.
Patel additionally questioned the timing of the No Objection Certificate (NOC) issued in December 2025 during the municipal election code of conduct period, saying the matter warrants greater transparency and scrutiny.
Patel urged the administration to reconsider the proposal and instead formulate a roadmap to bring Seven Hills Hospital fully under direct BMC ownership, management and operation in the larger public interest.
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