PUNE: The officials of Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation have begun the process of setting up a 500-bed quarantine facility at Shiv Chhatrapati sports complex
hostel
in the Balewadi area.
The increased international arrivals and demand for quarantine has prompted the civic body to convert the hostel into a quarantine facility. It will be the biggest quarantine facility in Pune, where suspected individuals will be asked to stay put as a precautionary measure to avoid the spread of
coronavirus into the community.
“We aim to make the facility operational at the earliest possible. The work is going on in full swing,” said additional municipal commissioner of
Pimpri Chinchwad Santosh Patil
.
Currently, the Pimpri Chinchwad municipal Corporation (PCMC) has 60-bed isolation facility at its hospital in Bhosari and another 10-bed isolation facility at YCM Hospital in Pimpri.
“Eight private hospitals in Pimpri Chinchwad have shown willingness to keep 48 isolation beds ready, which can also be used if the need arises,” Patil said.
The administration at the
Pune Municipal Corporation
(PMC) converted its hostel on Sanas ground into a 200-bed quarantine facility two weeks ago.
“The PMC has also zeroed in on 10 municipal facilities, including halls and residential flats, in the possession of the civic administration. The civic body will check the demand and increase the number of properties that can be converted into quarantine facilities,” said
Rajendra Muthe
, the head of PMC’s land and estate department.
Muthe said the vacant properties were maintained and made useful for residence. Beds and other facilities would be provided at these places for suspected patients and international travellers.
The PCMC officials have also appealed to those who have recently travelled abroad to come forward and get themselves examined. People can inform authorities in such cases on PCMC helpline 8888006666 or
WhatsApp number on 9922501450.