The new railway station, which is expected to come up between Thane and Mulund, will result in the Thane Mental Hospital losing 14.7 acres of its total 60-acre premises to the Central Railway (CR).
.The mental hospital, thus, has started shifting 709 cured patients to mental hospitals in Pune and Ratnagiri. Also, a new ward is being constructed to house the patients from the women’s ward, which will soon be demolished
“We are currently preparing a new ward that will house the patients from the women’s ward, which is expected to be demolished soon. Meanwhile, the cured patients will be shifted to either Pune or Ratnagiri,” said Dr Sanjay Bodade, superintendent, Thane Mental Hospital.
The hospital has around 709 patients, who are cured, but have nowhere to go as they have been abandoned by their families.
“We have 709 patients who are completely cured but have nowhere to go. Some of them have been in the hospital for more than 15 years now,” said Bodade.
Around 80 patients have already been shifted; 50 to Ratnagiri and 30 to Pune Mental Hospitals. This is a temporary arrangement until the construction is complete. “Shifting patients, who are recuperating, to a new location will be difficult. Hence, we have shifted the ones who are cured,” said Bodade.
However, Dr Ujjwala Phadnis, psychotherapist from Vasant Vihar, said, “With the construction activities within close proximity of the wards, it will be difficult for the patients to cope. They should have either shifted all the wards or should try putting noise barriers.”
First Published: Jun 08, 2019 10:46 IST
