Weeks after announcing plans for a new medical college on the GT Hospital campus in south Mumbai, the Maharashtra government has officially sanctioned ₹210 crore for the project. A government resolution (GR) issued on Wednesday confirmed the allocation.
Hostels and Quarters to Come Up on Adjacent Plot
According to the GR, the project includes construction of boys’ and girls’ hostels, along with staff quarters. These will be developed on a 7,091-square-metre plot situated between GT Hospital and Cama & Albless Hospital in Fort. The land, currently occupied by a building for Class 4 government staff, belongs to the state’s public works department. Authorities plan to demolish the existing structure to make way for the new facilities.
College Building to Rise Within GT Hospital Premises
Meanwhile, the main college building will be constructed on the GT Hospital campus itself. To support the new institution, the Maharashtra Public Service Commission has already begun recruiting professors. Initially, the college will offer 50 MBBS seats, with plans to increase capacity to 100 in the coming years, according to medical education minister Hassan Mushrif.
GT Hospital Meets Key Criteria for a Teaching Institute
Under National Medical Council (NMC) guidelines, a teaching hospital must have at least 650 beds and a minimum of 15,000 square metres of floor space to host a postgraduate medical college. GT Hospital, with its 1,026 beds, comfortably meets these requirements.
New College to Ease Pressure on Existing Institutions
As reported by Hindustan Times, currently, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) operates four medical colleges—KEM Hospital in Parel, Nair Hospital at Mumbai Central, Sion Hospital, and Cooper Hospital—together accommodating 850 MBBS students. Additionally, the state-run JJ Hospital in Byculla, the only major government teaching hospital in south Mumbai, handles another 250 MBBS seats.
Other Expansion Plans Also Underway
Besides the new GT Hospital college, the BMC is setting up another hospital through a public-private partnership at Shatabdi College. Previously, the government considered establishing a college on the St George’s Hospital campus, but heritage regulations restricted construction in that area.
A Strategic Boost for South Mumbai’s Medical Education
With the new college, south Mumbai will soon gain a much-needed addition to its medical education infrastructure. The move aims to ease pressure on existing institutions and improve access to medical education for aspiring students across the city.