Mumbai: The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has given approval to Mumbai’s seafront Breach Candy Hospital, one of Mumbai’s largest private hospitals, to demolish certain existing structures, and expand the medical facility to add another five floors.
The demolition and the construction will take place in the ecologically sensitive Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) area, and thus required the approval of the MoEF.
Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar tweeted, “Gave CRZ (Coastal Regulation Zone) approval for the proposed extension to the existing Breach Candy Hospital of Mumbai. This will pave the way for the construction of additional five floors, which will add another 61 number of beds, ICUs etc.”
Gave CRZ(Coastal Regulation Zone) approval for the proposed extension to the existing Breach Candy Hospital of Mumbai. This will pave way for the construction of additional 5 floors which will add another 61 no. of Beds, ICU's etc.@PIBMumbai @PIB_India @DDNewslive
— Prakash Javadekar (@PrakashJavdekar) November 19, 2020
Project involves new hospital wing
The hospital, located on a 11,810.36 square metre plot, falls under CRZ-2 and is located on the seaward side of the Bhulabhai Desai Road in South Mumbai.
According to the CRZ notification, 2011, CRZ-2 includes areas developed up to or close to the shoreline, and development is permitted only on the landward side of the road or on the landward side of the existing buildings.
However, the notification also adds that reconstruction of authorised buildings is permitted with the existing Floor Space Index (FSI) and without change in the existing land use. FSI refers to the ratio of the built-up area to the plot size.
A state government official, who did not wish to be named, said, “The Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) had considered this proposal in its meeting in November 2016, and had decided to recommend it to the MoEF for approval.”
In its recommendation letter dated 7 February 2017, a copy of which is with ThePrint, the MCZMA said, “The proposal envisages one new hospital wing by demolishing existing doctors’ quarters structures, two store rooms, one ancillary structure and one pump room….The authority decided to recommend the proposal from CRZ point of view to MoEF…”
According to the MCZMA’s letter of recommendation, the proposal involves building a wing of five floors and connecting it to the main hospital building with a 2-metre wide passage.
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Wonderful. Our family has the fondest memories of Breach Candy, the birth of our twins.