HC asks NMMC not to take coercive action against hospital

The Bombay High Court today restrained Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation from taking coercive action against Hiranandani Health Care Pvt Ltd by taking back the possession of two floors of a building in the neighbouring township which houses a super-speciality hospital.
NMMC lawyer assured the bench headed by Justice V M Kanade that it would not take any coercive action till December 21, the next date of hearing.
The court was hearing a petition filed by Hiranandani Health Care (HHC) challenging a notice issued by the civic body asking it to vacate the two floors.
HHC entered into an agreement with NMMC some years ago to run a hospital in a public-private partnership. NMMC allotted top two floors of a five-storey building in Navi Mumbai to HHC on the condition that latter would treat at least 800 patients referred by the civic body in a year.

NMMC recently issued a notice, alleging that the hospital was not being run by HHC, but by Fortis, which was a breach of the agreement. HHC claimed it was a subsidiary of Fortis.
The court was today informed that Maharashtra government had written to NMMC that CIDCO, the state planning body which developed Navi Mumbai township, would file a report with regard to the hospital, and NMMC should take necessary steps only after it received the report.
The judges adjourned the hearing to December 21 and asked the civic body not to take any coercive action for the time being.