BMC Chief Ashwini Bhide Sets May 31 Deadline For Roadworks, Pushes For Clean And Safe Civic Healthcare Facilities

Ashwini Bhide on Saturday instructed civic officials to maintain high standards of cleanliness, safety and uniformity across all municipal hospitals, clinics and healthcare centres operated by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, while also directing departments to complete ongoing roadworks in the city before May 31.

During a review meeting, Bhide emphasised that all civic healthcare institutions must remain free from encroachments and maintain a visually consistent appearance. The BMC currently manages over 500 healthcare facilities, including hospitals, maternity homes, health centres and Aapla Dawakhana clinics, which collectively serve more than two crore residents every year.

Officials informed the commissioner that the civic body presently has 14,653 hospital beds, with an additional 4,556 beds expected to become available once upcoming hospital projects are completed.

Bhide also directed officials to carry out structural safety audits of hospital buildings and ensure timely repairs and routine maintenance. She stressed the need for adequate housekeeping and security staff, uninterrupted electricity and water supply, strict adherence to fire safety norms and regular sanitisation of toilets and hospital premises.

Focusing on the city’s road infrastructure ahead of the monsoon, the BMC chief instructed engineers to complete all ongoing road projects by May 31 and avoid patchwork repairs. She said roads should be developed in a uniform and durable manner from end to end to ensure better quality and longevity.

In areas where concrete roads cannot be completed before the rainy season, officials were asked to lay high-quality mastic asphalt roads as an interim measure. Bhide also directed civic engineers to carry out milling works wherever necessary to prevent uneven road surfaces.

Additionally, officials were told to reinstall speed breakers near schools, hospitals and sensitive locations, while thermoplastic road markings and rumble strips should be used to improve road safety and traffic management.

During a separate review of monsoon preparedness, Bhide instructed departments to ensure that no manholes remain open during the rainy season and that protective grills are installed across all manholes before the onset of monsoon. She also asked officials to prepare long-term flood mitigation plans for chronic waterlogging spots across Mumbai.