Nashik: The municipal corporation is gearing up to introduce a free food service for patients admitted across its five major civic hospitals to enhance patient care and reduce the burden on families.
The initiative is expected to roll out at the start of the next financial year, subject to approval from the municipal commissioner.
Collectively, the five civic hospitals offer around 400 beds, but none have a unified or structured meal distribution system. To address this gap, the civic body’s health department submitted a detailed proposal outlining the food service plan and its implementation framework. Once approved, Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) plans to introduce a standardised system to ensure that all admitted patients receive timely and nutritious meals at no cost.
Among the five hospitals, Bytco Hospital at Nashik Road is the largest, with a capacity of 200 beds. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the facility temporarily expanded to nearly 500 beds and played a significant role in treating thousands from Nashik Road, Deolali, and surrounding areas.
NMC officials believe that a dedicated food service would provide considerable convenience not only to patients but also to their relatives, who often face difficulties in arranging for meals.
Zakir Hussain Hospital, with 100 beds, is the second-largest civic facility. The Indira Gandhi Hospital, which has 60 beds, along with two smaller civic hospitals in the city, is also set to be brought under the new food service scheme.
According to senior health department officials, the proposal is likely to be included in the upcoming NMC budget for the 2026-27 financial year.
The municipal commissioner is expected to submit the budget to the NMC standing committee by the end of this month or early next month, paving the way for official approval of the project.
