In Raheja Vedaanta, common areas within society also remain off limits

Ram Singh, a member of the team formed to coordinate efforts aimed at containing the coronavirus spread, said that the team was closely monitoring the implementation of the lockdown.

The residents of Raheja Vedaanta, a condominium in sector 108, have barely ventured out since the country went into lockdown to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease.

The RWA has put in place a stringent screening process and ensures that residents step out only for essential services. (Yogendra Kumar/HT photo. Representative image)

The RWA has put in place a stringent screening process and ensures that residents step out only for essential services.

“People are staying inside and following the guidelines very strictly. We are not stepping out at all, not even in to the common areas. As a community, everyone has been watchful. There are hassles, but this is the only way out for breaking the chain (of the disease),” said Urvi Sukul Singh, 58, a resident.

Ram Singh, a member of the team formed to coordinate efforts aimed at containing the coronavirus spread, said that the team was closely monitoring the implementation of the lockdown. “We are ensuring that people are not moving out unless absolutely necessary. We are educating people in the society about the necessity of the lockdown and even call the police to make rounds on alternate days so that people don’t violate the rules. Some people were continuing to play in the tennis court but we gave them an ultimatum, following which they stopped,” said Singh.

The condominium has barred the entry of all domestic help such as maids, cooks, drivers, car washer among others. Senior citizens who may require assistance have been asked to house their domestic help with them house or ask them to avail passes issued by the district administration. Entry for food delivery persons, meanwhile, has been restricted. All entering the building with deliveries are scanned and are required to mandatorily use sanitisers. Within the condominium, common areas are regularly sanitised.

“We are ensuring that everyone including residents sanitise their hands as many times they enter the condominium. Common areas are regularly disinfected too and MCG also helps in the process,” said Singh.

In view of the lockdown, the apartment has cut down the strength of its staff and is managing with a skeleton staff to keep essential services running. The staff has been provided with boarding and lodging facilities within the condominium to reduces the chance of exposure from outside.

“The number of staff at the condominium has been reduced to curtail unnecessary movement. We have made arrangements for the staff to stay within the condominium. Cooked meals are provided to them and we have tied-up with a food delivery service for the same,” said Singh. Security guards have also been provided with protective gear including masks and gloves.

The condominium has grocery and vegetable shops within the complex. In addition, in the area around the general store, the floor has been marked to facilitate social distancing. “We have made circled markings on the floor at a distance of two metres from each other so that people maintain a gap while standing outside the shop. Guards are monitoring and ensure that people do not crowd. It’s difficult but people are cooperating,” said Singh. Apart from relying on the service of the grocery shop on campus, residents can also procure essential items from the MCG which delivers the items twice in a week. “We have two chemist shops adjacent to the society. People can simply call the chemist shops and the medicines are delivered. The security persons or volunteer deliver the medicines till the apartments,” said Singh. He added that most residents had been compliant of the restrictions in place and so far, people had managed by helping each other out.