He said this during a visit to Thane on Thursday evening, during which he held talks with senior officials from the district and took stock of the COVID-19 situation.
"The government has been making all efforts to break the chain of coronavirus transmission in the state. Within 10 days, all the facilities related to COVID-19 will be made available in Thane district. Five testing centres would be set up for Badlapur Ambernath rural areas in the district," Tope said.
He asked the district and civic administrations to increase measures for detection of COVID-19 cases.
The minister also directed the local authorities to hold discussions with colleges and hotels for setting up quarantine facilities there.
Tope also hinted at taking stern action against private hospitals for charging hefty fees from COVID-19 patients.
During the meeting, he ordered the administration to take over an ayurvedic college at Ambernath to set up a 50-bed COVID-19 hospital with ICU facility there to treat local people.
"Facilities would be created at the local level for the patients in Badlapur and Ambernath. Once it is done, they will not have to depend on Mumbai," he said. COR NP NP