The Borivali secondary care hospital, which caters to the residents from Goregaon to Mira road, is scheduled to undergo redevelopment over the next five years to increase its capacity and modernise its equipment to provide better facilities.

Last week, civic officials and counselors attended the stone-lying ceremony of a toilet block near the entrance of the hospital. This move was opposed by the hospital officials as they are not happy with the location of the toilet block right in front of the hospital. They even demanded that the construction work of the same should stop. However, after a couple of days the work has started again, informed a civic official.

Recently, the BMC appointed Delhi-based Fumes International to construct 100 such state-of-art toilet complexes in the city. Such spacious and hygienic toilet complexes, with separate blocks for men and women and also for physically challenged, have already been built at Shivaji Park. Facilities at these complexes include hand dryers, liquid soap, well-lit interiors, an aquarium and a road-facing water fountain.

Opposing the construction of the toilet block at the entrance of the hospital, Aslam Shaikh, corporator from Malad said, “I have discussed the matter with the BMC Commissioner and the Mayor, both of whom had given their approval for the toilet block. They have assured me that they will take an appropriate decision.”

However, Additional Municipal Commissioner RA Rajiv said that mayor had demanded that there should be a toilet block in the Bhagwati hospital premises, which falls in her electoral ward. “There was opposition from doctors. They argued that they use the particular space for re-creation and playing. After the stone-laying foundation ceremony, the work was stopped for a while but the issue is now resolved. There was a meeting recently with the Mayor, Municipal Commissioner and architect Shashi Prabhu who has verified the designs of toilet and its location. Infact, the design will be in-sync with the re-development of the hospital. Since all the higher authorities have given their approval for the toilet block, we are going ahead with its construction,” said Rajeev.

As the toilet inside the hospital is used by patients, hospital staff as well as relatives of the patients, Rajeev said, “There are many people who accompany patients in the hospital or come to drop them. They can use this toilet block.” Civic officials added that the toilet block will be constructed by March.

The doctors from the Bhagwati hospital are still opposing the construction of toilet block.

“People raise opposition whenever something new is being constructed. The toilet block is at the corner of the plot and not right at the entrance of the hospital as they are saying,” said AD Khanolkar, ward officer, R/North.