While hospital authorities claim the process to start the medical college has already begun, health minister says tenders for equipment and staff recruitment will be floated soon
The Employees’ State Insurance Corporation Hospital in Andheri East
The Bombay High Court has directed the Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) to reopen its Andheri hospital by January 2026. However, even as renovation work is still underway, the hospital has been shortlisted as one of 10 ESIC centres across the country to host a new medical college, raising questions about its readiness.
“A total of 50 seats have been allotted for medical student admissions. The procurement of medical equipment and recruitment of staff are currently underway. Academic lectures will commence after the NEET results are announced and the admission process concludes, which is expected around August 2025,” said a higher official of the hospital.
“Also, since the medical college must be started, it is obvious that all facilities such as staff, professors and equipment necessary to teach the students will be provided by the government. And once that is provided, there should not be any obstacle to run the hospital completely with all services,” the official added.
However, Maharashtra’s Public Health and Family Welfare Minister Prakashrao Abitkar stated that tenders for equipment and recruitment are yet to be floated. “Now that the court has directed us to restart the hospital, we are looking into the matter on an urgent basis. Soon, tenders for procuring the required medical equipment will be floated. This apart, we will also immediately begin the recruitment process of the staff as well as the professors,” said Abitkar.
Amidst this uncertainty, some patients remain hopeful. “A part of the salary gets deducted regularly as medical insurance. But since the fire incident, for several years, we have been forced to visit faraway BMC hospitals for all kinds of treatment. Two years ago, thankfully, they at least restarted their OPD section. But that’s not enough. Earlier, all treatments were free of cost for us. Though the charges at BMC hospitals are cheaper than those at private hospitals and clinics, for many in our community, paying those reasonable rates at civic hospitals is also a burden, as we did not have to pay anything. If they really resume all facilities again, it will be very helpful,” said Manoy Shankar Yadav, 37, who was visiting the hospital due to a fever.
Others see the hospital’s revival as a much-needed relief, especially for patients with chronic conditions. “It becomes very difficult to take my ailing father, who is on dialysis all the way to Shatabdi Hospital in Kandivli from Andheri. He has been on dialysis for almost eight years now. And since the hospital shut down a few years ago, we had to continue his treatment at Shatabdi. If they start all services here soon again, we can save on lot of money because he cannot be taken by train or bus and we have to spend lot of money travelling by auto,” said Nikhil Bairagi, 29, who had come to get a doctor’s note for his father’s next dialysis session.
50
No. of medical seats allotted
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