Day after Coronavirus case emerges, only 5 of 19 offices open in Paytm office building

A day after a Paytm employee tested positive for coronavirus the Vipul Plaza in Suncity, Sector 54, lay deserted with only five out of the 19 offices in the building

A day after a Paytm employee tested positive for coronavirus the Vipul Plaza in Suncity, Sector 54, lay deserted with only five out of the 19 offices in the building choosing to continue operations. At least four banks, located on the ground floor, had put notices on their main door telling customers that the branch would remain closed at least till Friday. However, all ATMs in the building were open.

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“We are compelled to suspend our branch operations. We will resume operations when the situation returns to normal (sic),” read the notice in front of HDFC bank.

Kotak Mahindra Bank’s branch manager Meesha Malhotra said, “We have shut our branch after a care of coronavirus was detected in the building. I am hopeful that the housekeeping staff will clean the premises by Friday.”

A maintenance official at Vipul Plaza said they are carrying out thorough cleaning of the premises and that of the 19 offices in the building, only five were operational Thursday. “The entire cleaning staff has been directed to wear masks and gloves so that they are safe,” the maintenance official.

First floor of the building, where the Paytm office is located, lay deserted with only the housekeeping staff cleaning the staircase. “This is my fifth round of cleaning the staircase. I have been directed to wash everything repeatedly,” said cleaner Habibul Sheikh, who wore gloves and a mask.

A salon on the ground floor was open but hair dressers said that the number of clients visiting their parlour was next to none. Vicky Tamang, a nail artist, said, “We have been given this face mask and an advisory on what to do and what not to. It’s 4pm and we have only received seven clients. On a normal day, the number of clients would have been 150.”

Aman Gupta, who works in the same building, had come to collect his laptop from his office. “I was on leave Wednesday so I have come to take my laptop. My colleagues were told Wednesday around 2.30pm that the office would remain closed until further notice and we are to work from home.”