MUMBAI, Sept. 1 -- The Murli Deora Municipal Eye Hospital at Do Taaki in Kamathipura, Grant Road, which treats nearly 300 patients in its outpatient department every day and conducts 15 to 20 daily surgeries, is facing closure after its building was classified as C1 (extremely dangerous and unfit for human habitation) in a structural audit. Doctors and local MLA Amin Patel are now urging the civic administration to relocate the hospital rather than shut down its services altogether. The hospital, regarded as the BMC's busiest municipal eye hospital in terms of patients treated, has been serving Mumbai since 1940. Doctors say it caters largely to patients from economically weaker sections and plays an important role in providing specialised eye care at an affordable cost. "The hospital has served Bombay since 1940," said Dr Mona Patel, an eye surgeon at the hospital. "Around 300 patients come to the OPD and about 20 surgeries are performed every day. To close it overnight without providing any alternative for patients is extremely unfortunate and shows complete disregard for public health." The hospital building has been in need of repairs for some time. However, doctors allege that there was no adequate preparation or phased plan to shift its services before the building was declared unsafe. They said an emergency situation had now been created, with patients being asked to move to other hospitals and not even being provided with a clear alternative. The operation theatre has also been stopped since last Thursday, leaving patients who were scheduled for surgeries in the lurch. "If the OPD can function, why can't the OT also continue, keeping the interests of patients in mind?" said a doctor at the hospital. Congress MLA Amin Patel has also stepped in, urging BMC commissioner Ashwini Bhide to temporarily shift the entire operations of the hospital to the Ozone Rehabilitation Centre at Nagpada until the new 16-storey hospital building that is being constructed behind the existing facility is ready. He said that relocating the hospital nearby would ensure continuity of treatment and minimise inconvenience to patients who depend on the facility. Apart from the Ozone Rehabilitation Centre alternative, doctors said a suggestion had been made to accommodate the eye surgeons by providing them with one bed at KEM Hospital. However, many doctors said that such an arrangement would be inadequate to handle the hospital's existing workload. "How can we conduct 20 surgeries on one bed from morning to afternoon?" asked Dr Patel." I don't want this hospital to be shut down because once it is, it will never come back. Already there is a dearth of hospitals in the city." Dr Chandrakant Pawar, chief medical superintendent of Kasturba Hospital, when contacted, said that the administrative decision on the hospital was yet to be taken....