mumbai

Updated: Apr 22, 2018 00:09 IST

On the occasion of Guru Nanak Gurpurab next year, the Sikh community in Mumbai has planned to create more dormitories in various Gurudwaras for cancer patients and their relatives who come to the city for the treatment.

“We already have 400 odd beds for cancer patients in different Gurudwaras across the city. We intend to increase this to 550 beds to commemorate the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanakji in 2019,” said Manmohan Singh, general secretary of Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Mumbai (Dadar Gurudwara), the apex body of gurudwaras in Mumbai.

Earlier this month, the gurudwara in Dadar was felicitated by Tata Memorial Hospital for it service to cancer patients.

“We had observed that patients and their relatives who can’t afford to stay in the city sleep on the streets near the hospitals. We opened the doors to them, and that is how the initiative started,” Singh said.

Patients and family members are accommodated in around five Gurudwaras and given four meals a day, said Singh.

Kulwant Singh, vice president of the Sabha, said they were in the process of introducing recreational activities and counselling sessions for these patients. “We are trying to build a healthy environment for patients so that they can recover faster”

Sardar Tara Singh, MLA from Mulund, had raised this issue during the budget session of the Assembly. Guru Nanak Gurpurab is commemorated in November.