Two major civic hospitals in the city are set to get smoke extraction systems soon. After the fire in Bhandara civil hospital in January last year in which 10 newborns died, the civic body has decided to set up smoke filtration systems in the intensive care units of major hospitals. BMC chief Iqbal Singh Chahal last week approved a proposal for the same for BYL Nair Hospital in Mumbai Central and Lokmanya Tilak hospital in Sion. The civic body, however, has no plans to set up the system in peripheral hospitals yet.

It will cost the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation R13.66 crore to install the system at these two hospitals. Another major civic-run hospital, KEM, already has the systems. As per the proposal, the smoke during a fire hinders the firefighting process and is also toxic. With the installation of a smoke extraction system, the civic body aims to reduce harmful gases in the air which could prove hazardous and also increase visibility, thus helping the process to evacuate people. It also mentions that as it is not possible to install a duct flue, the civic body has decided on a ductless smoke filtration mechanism.