Maha: Govt directs PMC to help Yerawada Mental Hospital in removing illegal structures

Pune: Due to a shortage of manpower at the Yerawada mental hospital, the state government has directed the Pune Municipal Corporation to help the hospital in removing illegal structures on 135 acres of land.

Since the hospital is huge and needs additional labour but is reeling under a staff shortage, PMC will provide additional manpower and machinery to help them clear the illegal structures. 

The structures have been created by 66 retired employees who are refusing to leave the quarters on the hospital premises and have been staying for quite a long time. Therefore, the clearing system will help the hospital get rid of these illegal structures.

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While speaking with HT, Municipal commissioner Vikram Kumar said, "The state government held a meeting related to issues at Yerawada mental hospital. As the space is big and the hospital does not have enough manpower and machinery to maintain it, the state government asked PMC and the public works department to extend help. PMC will carry a drive to clean the 135-acre premises and will provide necessary machinery for the same."

Yerawada regional mental hospital located in the Yerawada area of Pune is one of the largest mental hospitals in Asia.

Earlier on March 2022, the state government had sanctioned Rs131 crore for the modernisation and upgradation of the Yerawada mental hospital.

The new development plan included the construction of four buildings on an area spanning 30,509 square kilometres, approximately 1,000 inmates to be housed in three standalone buildings, and two other buildings planned to house about 740 female inmates.

The decision was taken to ensure the longevity of the building and the healthcare of the inmates after the old buildings on the campus which belong to the British era became old and dilapidated. The drainage lines were old and leaking and were in urgent need of repairs as well as the power lines of the hospital.

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