The KEM Hospital lift failure has left eight of the hospital’s 31 lifts non-functional, raising concerns over access for patients, elderly people and persons with disabilities at the civic-run facility in Parel, Mumbai. The issue has also triggered a public dispute between members of the ruling alliance in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.
According to a report by Loksatta – Mumbai, Shiv Sena (Shinde) group leader Amey Ghole circulated a video on social media showing the difficulties faced by a patient because of a non-working lift at the hospital’s orthopaedic centre. The report said the patient had to descend the staircase while sliding down, highlighting the difficulties faced by people who cannot safely use stairs.
Ghole criticised the situation, asking how patients with serious illnesses, senior citizens and persons with disabilities could be expected to climb stairs to access treatment. His comments were viewed within the civic body as criticism of the Bharatiya Janata Party, which holds the chairpersonship of the civic health committee.
The controversy intensified after Deputy Mayor Sanjay Ghadi, from Shiv Sena (Shinde), visited KEM Hospital for an inspection before a scheduled visit by health committee chairperson Harish Bhandirge. The separate inspections have led to discussion about a lack of coordination between the two ruling alliance partners on the hospital issue.
Bhandirge’s inspection was attended by local corporator Bharti Pednekar of Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) and senior corporator Shraddha Jadhav, according to the report. The health committee chairperson directed the hospital administration to provide a factual report on the matter within 10 days.
The report is expected to establish how long the affected lift has been out of service, how much longer repairs are likely to take and what alternative arrangements can be provided for patients until the lift becomes operational. These details will determine whether patients can continue to access treatment areas without having to rely on stairways.
The number of non-functional lifts is significant in a hospital that depends on vertical movement between treatment areas. With eight of 31 lifts reportedly closed, the problem affects more than a single piece of equipment and places greater pressure on the remaining lifts and on hospital staff managing patient movement.
The immediate administrative task is therefore to document the condition of each affected lift, identify the repair timeline and establish temporary access arrangements. The KEM Hospital administration has been instructed to submit the factual report within 10 days, after which the civic health committee is expected to review the findings and next steps.
