150 Covid patients shifted from BKC

About 150 patients were shifted from the Bandra Kurla Complex’s (BKC) makeshift Covid-19 hospital on Tuesday to the NSCI Exhibition Centre in Worli and Sion Hospital,

About 150 patients were shifted from the Bandra Kurla Complex’s (BKC) makeshift Covid-19 hospital on Tuesday to the NSCI Exhibition Centre in Worli and Sion Hospital, as a precautionary measure against the arrival of Cyclone Nisarga.

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BKC is also a low-lying area, however, Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), that had built the makeshift hospital, said that although the structure can sustain winds of 80 to 100 km per hour, patients are being shifted as a precautionary measure by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, while addressing citizens on Tuesday evening, said, “Along with heavy rains we are also expecting heavy wind flow due to which, as a precautionary measure, we shifted patients.”

MMRDA in a statement said, “The impending threat of Cyclone Nisarga is upon Mumbai. The hospital can sustain strong winds of up to 80 to 100 km per hour, however, with human lives at stake, as a precautionary measure, all the patients (about 150) from the hospital are being shifted by BMC.”

The MMRDA had constructed the makeshift hospital in 10 days at the MMRDA grounds in BKC for treating Covid-19 patients and handed over the same to the BMC last month.

A BMC official said, “We had to shift patients from BKC as the makeshift structure would be directly impacted by the cyclone as it is on an open ground.”

In case of Dharavi that has around 2,000 patients admitted under an isolation and quarantine facility at the slum, BMC officials said they will not require shifting considering they are in a safe place. Kiran Dighavkar, assistant municipal commissioner, BMC’s G North Ward, under which Dharavi falls, said, “We do not need to shift any patients from Dharavi due to cyclone alert or predictions of rainfall. All patients are in a safe spot.”

Meanwhile, in all the remaining Covid-19 care centres the BMC said either the beds are prepared on the pucca structure or are under the structure due to which the patients will not be required to be shifted. A BMC official not wishing to be named said, “There are handful of covid-19 hospitals or health care centres having close proximity to the sea, however, there is no requirement of shifting them considering there is enough buffer space.”