The city’s space-starved senior citizens will have five new recreational centres set up for them at various locations by the BMC.
According to the civic officials, the centres will be set up in civic welfare centres at Bhawani Shankar Road at Dadar, Bhandup Village, Rani Sati Marg at Malad East, Mulgaon village, Mahakali Caves Road at Andheri and Mhada Layout, Gorai at Borivali West.
“These are the initial recreational centres. We plan to set up recreational centres spread over at least 700 square feet area in every ward for senior citizens. They will be provided leisure amenities free of cost every Sunday from 7 am to 7 pm at these centres. Facilities like yoga, bridge, sudoku, chess, carrom, newspapers and magazines, TV sets etc. will also be provided to them at these centres,” said a senior civic official.
The recreational centres are the part of a special policy designed for them by the BMC. The policy also provides them a free of cost surgery in civic hospitals, a special helpline to guide them on their problems and permission to construct a commode at their residence. The senior citizens will be given priority in awareness campaigns, festivals and civic activities.
There will also be a special health desk for senior citizens in all the major civic hospitals. Special weekly out-patient departments will also be held, in which medical experts will be available to treat them. A special geriatric section will be created in BMC hospitals for senior citizens.
According to the civic data, there are about 12 lakh senior citizens, who are 60 years and above. Around 21 per cent of them (2.5 lakh) are below poverty line.