Parsi Lying-In hospital may see development soon

There is some good news for the city. It's now set to get a new super-specialty hospital as the Bombay high court has accepted the agreement between five trustees of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet and the managing committee of the Parsi Lying-In Hospital regarding the hospital's redevelopment. BPP chairman Dinshaw Mehta, who is actively opposing it, will have to now approach the Supreme Court.

The hospital at Fort has not been functioning for over two decades now. For the past three years, the BPP trustees and the hospital committee have been locked in a legal tussle over the redevelopment issue. The former had alleged that the latter cannot take a decision on its behalf and enter into an agreement to develop it as the Punchayet owns the hospital.

Earlier, four trustees had signed consent terms for withdrawing the writ petition opposing the hospital's redevelopment.

The over 100-year-old hospital, which is a heritage structure and a prime property, was largely used as a maternity facility. "The development can now go forward as the court has accepted it. Any trustee who has to oppose it will have to do that at his/her own expense and not that of the Punchayet," said Muncherji Cama, one of the trustees of the BPP.

"A lot of benefits are attached to this decision...," said Khojeste Mistree, another trustee. Once developed, it will be a super-specialty hospital focussing on orthopaedics and gynaecology, among other specialties. It will be open to other communities, with reservations for Parsis.

"I have not been advised on challenging the HC verdict in the SC. The issue is of vested interest as some trustees have that and they went into an agreement without going in for any public notice," said Mehta.

Mistree countered the allegation saying the chairman had made it an ego issue. Yezdi Bhagwagar, managing committee member of the hospital, was not available for comment.