Mumbai's JJ Hospital expansion misses deadline, awaits occupation certificate

Mumbai: The super-speciality expansion project at Mumbai's Sir JJ Hospital continues to face delays, with pending construction work, the absence of an occupation certificate (OC), and staffing uncertainty holding up completion, nearly three years after it was scheduled to open. 

The prolonged delay has left one of Mumbai’s busiest public hospitals struggling to expand its services despite a steady flow of patients.

Also Read:JJ Hospital resident doctor found dead in hostel room, depression suspected

According to news reports, JJ Hospital, spread across 44 acres in the heart of Mumbai, has 1,352 beds, including 250 ICU beds, and receives more than 3,000 patients at its outpatient departments (OPDs) every day. The proposed expansion, comprising four wings, was planned to strengthen the hospital’s capacity to provide advanced medical care and ease pressure on its existing infrastructure. 

The foundation stone for the project was laid in 2017, with the new facility originally scheduled to become operational by December 2023. However, construction delays, which began during the COVID-19 pandemic, have continued well beyond the original deadline.

While the external structures of the new buildings are largely complete, significant internal work remains pending. Wings A and B are nearing completion, but lifts and escalators are yet to be installed. The hospital is also awaiting mandatory fire safety clearances.

The installation of lifts and escalators is particularly important because the hospital plans to accommodate outpatient departments on the lower floors of the new buildings. The facilities will be essential for patients, particularly those with limited mobility.

Speaking to Hindustan Times, a senior official associated with the project said repeated assurances about completion had done little to inspire confidence. “Though the hospital was set to be ready by December this year, we have seen quite a few delayed Decembers, and so we are not sure when we will finally be able to move into this facility,” the official said.

Even after the remaining work is completed, the hospital cannot begin operations without an Occupation Certificate (OC), said Dean Dr Ajay Bhandarwar. “Unless we get the Occupation Certificate, we cannot shift in,” he said.

The expansion has also been affected by restrictions on the permissible height of the new buildings.

According to Dr Bhandarwar, the original proposal envisaged 20-storey buildings, but permission was granted for only 10-storey structures. The reduction has curtailed the amount of additional infrastructure that can be accommodated within the new complex.

According to the dean, the hospital had hoped to use some of the additional floors to accommodate resident doctors, who are already facing a shortage of residential facilities. “We have about 50 medical undergraduates and 300 postgraduates joining every year, and finding accommodation for them has been a struggle. Had we received permission for a few additional floors, we could have accommodated them in the new wings,” he said, reports Hindustan Times.

With the possibility of adding residential facilities to the new complex now ruled out, the hospital will have to propose a separate residential building. Such a proposal would require fresh administrative approvals and additional expenditure.

Meanwhile, the hospital is also exploring ways to maximise the use of its existing premises.

The administration is seeking to reclaim around 10,000 square feet of space within its heritage campus that is currently occupied by the JJ Mahanagar Blood Bank. The hospital hopes to use the space for its expansion requirements.

Also Read:134 JJ Hospital doctors, staff assigned poll duty; dean seeks cancellation