MLA Hostel filling up, admin readies 4,000 more quarantine beds

NAGPUR: Both functional wings of MLA Hostel, where the city’s first quarantine facility was set up for international flyers on March 13, were nearing capacity by late Wednesday evening, as a steady flow of novel coronavirus suspects continue to be brought in. Some quarantined patients have been housed at Vanamati on VIP Road.
The city administration and Central Railway plan to augment the quarantine facility capacity by up to 10,000 beds at different places, including some private hospitals, if needed.While the railways reserved 150 beds at Ajni and railway hospital, NMC was planning to do so at the SRA Scheme in Uppalwadi.
Divisional commissioner Sanjeev Kumar told TOI, “We have 4,000 beds ready and will use them as per need. Next in line is Vanamati. Other places will add up to 4,000 beds and they are all ready or close to ready. VNIT, Vanamati, Ravi Bhavan, Agrasen Hostel, Railway and Central India Nursing College will add up to 4,000 beds.”
On Wednesday, PWD officials said 225 suspected patients were put up against a capacity of 300 in Wing 2, and 116 suspects in Wing 3, leaving only four more beds. Wing 1 having 140 rooms is under renovation. On March 31, TOI had reported about two suspects sharing a room after revision in policy. Earlier, each suspect was isolated in a single room. All would be quarantined for a period of 14 days.
A day before, over 50 people were quarantined in a single batch after NMC received a list of travellers who came in close contact with Covid-19 positive patients at Delhi. “All rooms are likely to be filled up by Thursday as rush of suspects has substantially gone up,” officials said.
He said a 40-bed suite is ready at Ravi Bhavan in Civil Lines. An NMC official said some suspects were also kept at Vanamati on VIP Road. Vanamati is a training centre for government officials and employees.
Another PWD official said of the 40 allotted rooms at Ravi Bhavan, six were occupied. “Six guests, including a judge, were shifted to another building,” the official said.
NMC officials said the civic body is planning to convert SRA scheme near Uppalwadi industrial estate for keeping quarantine suspects. “Following directions from municipal commissioner, the fire and emergency services department and health department team of Ashi Nagar zone on Tuesday started cleaning the two multi-storey buildings in SRA colony,” they said.
Central Railway, Nagpur division, spokesperson and assistant commercial manager (ACM) SG Rao said, “We have created a quarantine facility with 150 beds at Ajni and at railway hospital. Of these, 125 beds are at three places in Ajni while 25 are at the hospital. We are open to admit even outside patients as directed by the district administration.”