Fortis to invest Rs 250 cr in FY11 for expansion

Healthcare major Fortis Hospitals today said it plans to invest Rs 250 crore over the next financial year to expand its facilities in three metro cities.

"We plan to invest Rs 250 crore in Kolkata, Mumbai and Bangalore. This investment will be done over the next financial year," Fortis Hospital Chief Executive Officer Vishal Bali said.

With this investment, Fortis plans to set up multi-specialty hospital projects each in Kolkata with 414 beds and Bangalore with 120 beds, besides expanding its existing facility in Mumbai, Bali said.

The Mumbai project will have 300 beds, he said.

Fortis also plans to set up a separate oncology division in Mumbai in 2010, Bali said, adding that this facility will have 120 beds. The company will also add 200 beds at its hospital in Bangalore.

On completion of expansion, the total capacity in Bangalore, the city where Fortis is headquartered, will be 1,000 by 2011, which will include 120 intensive care unit beds, Bali said.

Fortis, which acquired 10 Wockhardt hospitals in August this year for an estimated Rs 909 crore, currently has a network of 39 hospitals with a total bed capacity of 5,180 across 12 cities.

Post Wockhardt acquisition, Fortis strengthened its operations in cardiac surgery, neuro sciences, minimal access surgery, renal and liver transplants areas, Bali said.