Maharashtra’s Deputy CM Eknath Shinde asks Collector to fast track Richardson & Cruddas land to JJ Hospital in Mumbai

Mumbai: In the pipeline for close to 10 years, DCM Eknath Shinde has asked Mumbai city collector Aanchal Goyal to fast-track transfer of 11 acres of Richardson & Cruddas land in Byculla to JJ Hospital.

Officials said the land was transferred to the city collector on paper way back in 2016 but wasn’t handed over to JJ Hospital as the centre-owned company contested the takeover in court. Shiv Sena MP Milind Deora took up the issue with Shinde, who is the guardian minister for Mumbai City. JJ Hospital wants the land for setting up a 200-bed cancer care hospital. Deora said the expansion will significantly strengthen cancer care, advanced medical services, medical education and research.

“The decision (on the handover) is yet to be taken between centre and state govts. We took possession of the place on paper in 2016 only, but they (Richardson & Cruddas) have contested it in court. Our election office runs from the premises,” Goyal said.

Officials said Richardson & Cruddas Limited is a historic engineering company owned by the centre. It was first set up way back in 1858. The company makes heavy industrial items like boilers, pressure vessels and transmission towers. It is under the control of the Ministry of Heavy Industries. Byculla was its main corporate headquarters. It used to make boilers, machinery for sugar plants and heavy steel structures.

“I met DCM Eknath Shindeji and sought his support for transferring the 11-acre Maharashtra govt-owned plot currently held by Richardson & Cruddas to JJ Hospital. This expansion will significantly strengthen cancer care, advanced medical services, medical education and research. Most importantly, it will benefit the thousands of needy patients who travel to Mumbai from across Maharashtra for affordable treatment,” Deora said in a post on X. Deora also gave Shinde a representation from JJ Hospital Dean.

“As highlighted in the representation, JJ Hospital is one of Maharashtra’s premier public healthcare institutions, serving thousands of patients daily from across the state and the country. With the upcoming super-speciality hospital nearing completion and the increasing demand for advanced healthcare services, medical education and research infrastructure, the availability of additional land has become a pressing necessity. The proposal envisages the establishment of several critical public healthcare and educational facilities, including a palliative cancer hospital, bone marrow transplant centre, research and training facilities, hostels for students, staff housing and amenities for patients’ relatives,” Deora said in his letter to Shinde.