Mumbai’s Gokuldas Tejpal (GT) Hospital has finally received the green signal to begin construction of a long-pending medical college building, ending a decade of administrative hurdles. The Maharashtra government has sanctioned over INR 210 crore for the new facility, which will significantly enhance medical education infrastructure and tertiary healthcare capacity in South Mumbai.
The plan involves demolishing the existing ageing structure, categorised as a heritage building with restricted renovation options, and replacing it with a 20-storey medical college complex. The proposed construction will span over 34,780 square metres and include separate hostels for male and female students, as well as staff quarters. This project was first approved in principle in 2012, as part of a broader vision to integrate GT Hospital with Cama and Albless hospitals for a full-fledged government medical college. Despite the Indian Council of Medical Research granting its clearance, progress stalled for years due to land and space constraints. A persistent request has been pending with the state authorities to vacate an adjacent government staff building—popularly known as ‘Chhota Mantralaya’—to make room for essential medical facilities.
Officials confirmed that GT Hospital, which began its inaugural MBBS batch of 50 students in the 2024-25 academic year, is now seeking approval to double its intake. The new college building is being designed to meet all standards set by the National Medical Commission (NMC), which mandates a minimum of 15,000 square metres and a 650-bed hospital for medical college eligibility. GT Hospital already meets the bed requirement with 1,026 operational beds. The proposed infrastructure will also include lecture halls with a capacity of 200 students to accommodate future growth. The construction of the medical college is projected to take two to three years. Meanwhile, the Public Works Department and the Maharashtra Public Service Commission are preparing for the recruitment of new teaching faculty. The officials reiterated the urgency of transferring the adjacent government quarters to the hospital to prevent delays.
Experts see this development as crucial for addressing the gap in public-sector medical education and healthcare accessibility in Mumbai’s southern corridor. With medical seats in high demand and government hospitals under increasing pressure, the expansion of GT Hospital is expected to play a pivotal role in producing skilled doctors while also easing the patient load in the region. The project, when complete, will also support the state’s larger agenda of decentralising medical education and improving public health infrastructure without compromising heritage sensibilities. With administrative backing now firmly in place, the focus will shift to timely execution and inter-departmental coordination to ensure the project meets its schedule.
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