Coronavirus outbreak: Housing societies want to show the door to Covid-19

From sanitising the premises, screening outsiders and shutting all amenities inside complexes to cancelling all gatherings and functions and creating awareness,

From sanitising the premises, screening outsiders and shutting all amenities inside complexes to cancelling all gatherings and functions and creating awareness, housing societies across Mumbai are taking precautions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in the complex.

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Mumbai has 35,000 housing societies, with at least 40 lakh residents. For instance, Ashok Towers Housing Society in Parel, which has 568 apartments, has shut the clubhouse. They have also started to screen people entering the premises with laser thermometers.

Sarika Poddar, secretary, Ashok Towers, said these steps are inevitable. “Some residents resisted in the beginning, but an overwhelming number of people supported it,” said Poddar, adding all types of coaching and functions have been cancelled.

The Veda Cooperative housing society at Parel has installed sanitisers in lifts and has given gloves and masks to the support staff.

The Lokhandwala Oshiwara Citizens’ Association has asked its members – 250 housing societies – to take adequate measures to secure themselves. The societies have restricted the entry of outsiders and food delivery boys from going to the apartments. “These boys are allowed only till the ground floor lobby, from where the residents collect their parcels. In addition, the societies are also conducting workshops for the housekeeping staff to spread awareness about the virus,” said Dhaval Shah, who heads the association.