August 29, 2025: A troubling incident recently highlighted the ongoing operational issues at Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Municipal General Hospital, widely known as Shatabdi Hospital, on S.V. Road, Kandivali (W). An emergency patient with a fracture was reportedly left waiting nearly two hours before receiving basic treatment. Eyewitnesses said the delay was caused by confusion between doctors and dressers over who should apply the plaster, leaving the patient in prolonged pain. Intervention by senior staff finally resolved the situation.
The hospital, inaugurated in 2013, was intended as a modern civic medical facility for Mumbai’s western suburbs. Today, it grapples with chronic issues more typical of much older institutions: overcrowding, poor maintenance, hygiene lapses, and operational mismanagement. It serves patients from Kandivali, Borivali, Malad, Dahisar, Goregaon, and extended areas including Palghar and Mira-Bhayandar. Bed occupancy can reach 129% during the monsoon, forcing patients to share beds. In 2024, the hospital recorded 39,242 admissions and 36,219 discharges, with 1,499 deaths.
Cleanliness remains a persistent concern. Rats and stray animals are often seen in wards and corridors, while complaints over dirty toilets and common areas continue. Security has also been criticised; mobile phones and personal belongings have reportedly been stolen, with little accountability.
Other issues include inadequate medicine supply, a blood bank operating only in a single shift, and malfunctioning air-conditioning systems that exacerbate dampness and infection risks. Despite these challenges, diagnostic services such as CT scans and MRIs are managed efficiently, with patients from other hospitals sometimes referred here.
Hospital authorities acknowledge the problems and have taken measures to address rat infestations and stray dogs, while urging visitors to maintain hygiene. Yet for many residents dependent on affordable healthcare, Shatabdi Hospital remains a vital but overburdened lifeline.
Source: The Free Press Journal
