NEW DELHI: With just 4 per cent occupancy at of the world’s largest COVID-19 facility, the Sardar Patel COVID Care Centre (CCC) in south Delhi, according to the local administration, is serving as a "psychological relief" knowing that there is a backup if number of coronavirus patients in Delhi increases again.
For more than a month, the number of positive cases in the national capital has seen a steady decline. Leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party government have also been vocal while addressing the matter saying that the situation in the city is currently under control.
Earlier, on June 9, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had said that the government anticipated 5.5 lakh cases by July-end — a frightening prospect which, fortunately, the national capital has been able to avoid. Soon after the deputy chief minister’s announcement, extra facilities such as banquet halls, hotels and stadiums were identified to be used as extensions for hospitals.
But as the numbers continue to decline, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is pushing for unlocking more commercial activities. Hotels, banquet halls and stadiums have been told to start de-linking because the requirement of more hospital beds has gone down. “The number of patients are less at the Sardar Patel Covid Care Centre, which is a good thing.
Such a big facility was created to cater to Covid patients. Even though cases are lowering, it’s a relief knowing that the facility can be used if ever the need arises.” said South Delhi District Magistrate BM Mishra. He said currently there are 500 patients, which is just 4 per cent of 12,000 — the capacity of the centre which was created from scratch on the land given by Radha Soami Satsang Beas Centre in Chhatarpur.
The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), one of the seven Central Armed Police Forces of the country is currently overlooking the functioning of the Covid facility situated in South Delhi. The facility was inaugarated Over 1K ITBP staffers & other paramilitary forces are taking care of the facility | FILE on July 9 by L-G Anil Baijal.