Nitesh Rane tweeted videos allegedly showing damage caused to a makeshift COVID-19 hospital.
Mumbai: BJP MLA Nitesh Rane on Wednesday tweeted videos allegedly showing damage caused to a makeshift COVID-19 hospital in BKC area in Mumbai due to cyclone ”Nisarga”, but the authorities said the structure was intact.
Built by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), the 1,000-bed hospital in Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) is run by theBrihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
Some 250 coronavirus patients, who are undergoing treatment there, were temporarily shifted to other facilities as a precaution in view of cyclone threat on Tuesday.
Tweeting three videos purportedly showing water inside the makeshift facility, damaged sidewalls and collapsed tin compound wall, Mr Rane said, “Jumbo isolation centre at BKC goes down the drain in just few hours.”
He also demanded a probe.
Another BJP leader and former MP Kirit Somaiya said in the very first rain the condition of the hospital has worsened and “Thackeray Sarkar’s Corona Hospital at BKC is out”.
“Everybody knows Mumbai’s rain, but then why this ”Contract” was given. We request MMRDA to disclose details of cost, contractors, consultant. Who will accept the Responsibility?” Mr Somaiya said.
The MMRDA, however, claimed that there was no damage to the hospital, and it has resumed the construction work of second facility as well.
“After #CycloneNisarg, work restarts for second Covid facility at BKC. Nothing happened to Covid hospital 1 and 2 during Cyclone though as a matter of abundant precaution, patients were shifted,” MMRDA tweeted.
A senior BMC official said that of 246 patients undergoing treatment at the makeshift facility, 225 were shifted to NSCI Exhibition Centre in Worli and remaining patients were shifted to other hospitals, as a precautionary measure in view of the cyclone.
The hospital in BKC can withstand winds of 105 kmph, but the weather department had warned of winds of 120 kmph, so patients were shifted, he said.
The hospital, however, did not suffer any major damage and there was no water leakage inside, so it can be used for treatment of COVID-19 patients from Friday evening, after proper disinfection, he added.
Disinfection through spraying is necessary as the facility was shut for a day, he said.
BKC is a low-lying area, however, the MMRDA had claimed that it had taken extra measures like additional strengthening of pillars with sand bags.
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