Foundation stone for 375-bed Healing Hospital laid in Pune’s Warje

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis clarified on Sunday that the State government has not provided a sovereign guarantee for the project loan of the proposed 375-bed multispecialty hospital in Warje.

Fadnavis was in Pune for the event to lay the foundation stone for Healing Hospital, a 375-bed multispecialty hospital in Warje. Two years ago, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) decided to construct the hospital on a build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis. Objections were raised regarding the PMC’s supposed sovereign guarantee against the contractor’s ₹380 crore loan for the hospital construction project.

Fadnavis, during the event on Sunday, clarified no sovereign guarantee has been given for the project.

“The hospital will be set up by using a first-of-its-kind model in the country which has multilateral financing. The project has been jointly financed by firms from Germany and the Netherlands. Noticeably the rate of interest for the loan is 1.25%. The financial and political risk for the project will be covered by the Insurance Company from the Netherlands,” he said.

He further added, “If the model is successful, such health facilities can be set up in Pune and Maharashtra through a similar model. The hospital is a state-of-the-art hospital with world-class equipment approved by the Netherlands.”

Deputy Chief Minister, Ajit Pawar inaugurated the project on Sunday. The ceremony was attended by Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil, MP Supriya Sule, MLA Bhimrao Tapkir, MLA Sunil Kamble (virtually), and Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) Commissioner, Vikram Kumar amongst other dignitaries.

Supriya Sule, MP, Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar faction), during the event, appreciated the efforts taken by the government and PMC for setting up the hospital.

“There are News reports of a Sovereign guarantee being given by Maharashtra state for the project. Also, this sovereign guarantee should not affect the hospital services provided to the citizens.”

The hospital will be set up with an estimated cost of ₹ 380 corers on a build-operate transfer basis (BOT) by Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC). The hospital will be constructed on 2.5 Acres of land and will have PMC and government-run health schemes. The hospital will have a 100-bed ICU facility and 12 operating theatres. Furthermore, with several specialties, the hospital will have 60,000 sq feet of a healing garden, mental health department, Yoga, physiotherapy, and wellness centre amongst other facilities.

DCM, Pawar, said the importance of healthcare was highlighted during the Covid-19 pandemic. “The government and PMC in the past two years took efforts to set up this 375-bed multispecialty hospital. Considering public welfare, ten per cent of beds at the hospital will be reserved for free treatment, and 6 per cent of beds as per CGHS rates will be provided. 16 per cent of beds will be reserved for the treatment of needy patients. Within two years we decided to set up this hospital and the decision was unanimously approved and taken.” Hindustan Times