Archive · 2 Oct 2026
Mumbai Civic Panel Sends Back EUS Machine Cancellation Proposal
Mumbai’s civic hospitals planned to buy two special medical machines called EUS machines.
One machine was intended for KEM Hospital and the other for Sion Hospital.
The purchase was estimated to cost ₹5.53 crore.
Only one company, Pentax Medical India Pvt.
Ltd., submitted a bid.
The BMC administration proposed cancelling the purchase because there was only one bidder.
Several corporators disagreed and said patients urgently need the machines.
They said patients are being sent to private hospitals, where the test can cost ₹35,000–₹40,000.
The committee sent the cancellation proposal back to the administration instead of approving it.
The BMC Standing Committee sent back a proposal to cancel procurement of two EUS machines for KEM and Sion hospitals.
The two-machine tender, estimated at ₹5.53 crore, received only one bid from Pentax Medical India Pvt. Ltd.
Corporators opposed cancellation, saying the machines are urgently needed by patients using civic hospitals.
Patients are currently referred to private facilities, where EUS procedures reportedly cost about ₹35,000–₹40,000.
The committee’s decision sends the proposal back to the BMC administration for reconsideration.
- Who
- The BMC administration, the BMC Standing Committee, corporators, and Pentax Medical India Pvt. Ltd.
- What
- The Standing Committee referred back a proposal to cancel procurement of two EUS machines.
- When
- October 2, 2026; the proposal was considered on Thursday.
- Where
- Mumbai’s KEM and Sion hospitals.
- Why
- The administration proposed cancellation after receiving only one bid, while corporators said the machines are urgently needed and cancellation could delay access to diagnosis.
Corporators’ Position
BMC Administration’s Position
Whether to cancel the tender
Corporators’ Position
Corporators opposed cancellation, arguing that EUS machines are urgently needed at KEM and Sion hospitals and that patients who cannot afford private care should not face further delays.
BMC Administration’s Position
The administration proposed cancelling the procurement after Pentax Medical India Pvt. Ltd. became the sole bidder for the two-machine tender.
Impact of delaying procurement
Corporators’ Position
Corporators warned that cancelling the process could set procurement back by another year and prolong referrals to private facilities.
BMC Administration’s Position
The administration’s proposal would end the current procurement process, although the article does not state its position on the expected timeline for a replacement tender.
- Procurement
- Two Endoscopic Ultrasound machines
- Hospitals
- KEM Hospital and Sion Hospital
- Estimated cost
- ₹5.53 crore
- Sole bidder
- Pentax Medical India Pvt. Ltd.
- Planned contract
- Installation, commissioning, a three-year warranty, and five-year comprehensive maintenance
- Private procedure cost
- Approximately ₹35,000–₹40,000
- Committee action
- Proposal sent back to the BMC administration