Fearing a security risk to the renowned Tata Memorial hospital in central Mumbai, city police have asked the civic body to evict cancer patients and their relatives staying in makeshifts on the pavement adjoining the medical institution.
Security around the hospital in Parel has also been stepped up, after several people with suspicious movements were seen among beggars, cancer patients and their relatives waiting outside the medical institution, police said.
According to police, beggars, cancer patients and their families stay in temporary shelters on the footpath outside, posing threat to the hospital.
"About 100 people including patients, their family members can be seen on the pavement or outside the hospital.
As a precautionary measure, we want them to be evicted from the pavements," said Sunil Tondwalkar, senior inspector of Bhoiwada police station.
"Accordingly, we wrote a letter to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to clear the pavement and we hope NGOs come forward to provide shelter to the cancer patients and their families," he said but refused to comment when asked if there was any terror threat to the hospital.
According to police, patients come from different parts of the country and while undergoing treatment, they live in makeshift tents outside the hospital as they can't afford a hospital bed or a hotel.
Every year, nearly 43,000 patients visit the clinics of the hospital from all over India and neighbouring countries.
