Mumbai, Nov 20: A large group of locals, including former employees of the H. J. Doshi Hindu Sabha Hospital in Ghatkopar West, staged a protest on Wednesday, raising fresh concerns over the fate of the charitable hospital that was demolished nearly three years ago.
Demonstrators demanded the immediate reconstruction of the facility, which they said was torn down with the assurance that a new, modern hospital would be built — a promise that remains unfulfilled.
Hospital Was a Key Affordable Multispeciality Centre
Established in 1968, the 184-bed H. J. Doshi Ghatkopar Hindu Sabha Hospital was a well-known charitable multispeciality institution located near Ghatkopar railway station.
It was widely recognised for providing affordable, quality healthcare across specialties such as internal medicine, cardiology, gastroenterology, nephrology, neurology, general surgery, gynaecology, ENT, and urology. The hospital also operated a 24×7 emergency department, dialysis unit, physiotherapy services, and a generic medicine store offering low-cost drugs.
Trust Demolished Hospital in 2022; No Progress Since
In 2022, the trust demolished the building with a commitment to redevelop the hospital with upgraded facilities. However, two years later, no progress has been made, and the land continues to lie vacant.
Locals and former staff allege that within three months of the demolition, a sudden change in trustees further deepened doubts about the trust’s intentions.
450+ Staff Lost Jobs; Residents Fear Loss of Crucial Healthcare Facility
Over 450 employees — including Marathi, Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, and other staff — lost their jobs, causing widespread economic and emotional distress. Residents fear that the community has not only lost a crucial healthcare facility but may also be witnessing a breach of public trust affecting thousands of patients and hundreds of workers.
“The possibility of the land being repurposed for non-medical use has added to their anger, with several political parties now extending support to the citizens’ campaign for rebuilding the hospital,” said Sandeep Magre, one of the key members of protestors.
Trust Says Delay Due to Pending Height Clearance From Civil Aviation
When the Free Press Journal contacted Hindu Sabha Hospital, trustee member Sanjay Lodha stated that the proposal is currently pending with the Civil Aviation Department in Delhi for height clearance.
“For a 200-bed super speciality hospital, we need to construct the building up to at least 70 metres. Since Ghatkopar falls under the funnel zone of the Mumbai airport, we require permission from Civil Aviation,” Lodha said.
Only 46.5-Metre Height Approved So Far
He added that, as of now, the trust has approval only for a height of 46.5 metres, which would allow construction of an 11-storey building—insufficient for a super speciality hospital.
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“Earlier, the proposal was pending with the BMC due to road curvature issues. We have now received that approval, but the permission from Civil Aviation is still pending,” Lodha said.
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