The Maharashtra government on Wednesday allotted five acres of its land at Haffkine’s Institute to Tata Memorial Hospital at a nominal price, for a period of 30 years.
The decision to give the land to the cancer institute was taken in a cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
The cancer hospital had demanded a minimum of 10 acres of land at Halffkine’s Institute for setting up a special cancer centre for women and children.
Tata Memorial Centre, the only cancer hospital in Mumbai, is currently spread over four acres of land. However, considering the increasing number of cancer patients, the hospital had been contemplating the setting up of an additional centre. “They wanted more land, but…the state government could only spare five acres. They will have to get the remaining land from the BMC,” said Dr Vijaykumar Gavit, minister, medical education.
Tata Memorial Centre, which was started in 1941 with 100 cots, grew to a capacity of 250 cots. As of today, the hospital has 800 beds and caters to three lakh cancer patients annually. To improve the facilities at the existing centre, the Central government has granted a `450 crore-aid to the hospital.
With the state granting five acres of land, Tata Memorial Centre is expected to come up with a new wing with the latest medical technology — including Proton Beam Therapy — to treat cancer. This technology will cost the hospital around `30 to `40 crore.