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These Iconic Landmarks Of Mumbai Have Been Turned Into Quarantine Centres

by Gizel Menezes
These Iconic Landmarks Of Mumbai Have Been Turned Into Quarantine Centres

Mumbai, the city of dreams, where rich globe-trotting individuals live alongside the poor in shanties, is fast turning into a breeding ground for infections. Day-by-day, the number of coronavirus cases in the city continue to explode. The city, however, in its endeavor to put up a tough fight against the virus is converting several of its iconic structures into quarantine facilities.

From a Wuhan-style makeshift hospital to quarantine centers in parks and planetariums, Mumbai is reportedly readying up to 100,000 beds for the worst-case scenario.

Iconic Landmarks Of Mumbai Have Been Turned Into Quarantine Centres

As the city continues to race towards preparing for the predicted peaking of infections, here are 7 iconic landmarks of Mumbai that have been turned into quarantine centres:

1. Bandra Kurla Complex

A financial hot spot, comparable to London’s Canary Wharf, BKC houses headquarters of several global investment banks as India’s capital markets regulator alongside fancy restaurants and hotels.

However, a makeshift 1000-bed hospital for non-critical COVID-19 patients is being readied, equipped with a pathological laboratory, laundry, oxygen facilities and cabins for doctors and nurses. As per MMRDA, an additional facility of up to 5,000 beds can be added to the hospital if a requirement springs up in future.

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BKC Modular Hospital, MMRDA Grounds, a roof I hope you don’t ever see! On the request of CM @uddhavthackeray ji, the MMRDA is constructing a massive modular hospital in BKC. While having it seen personally from scratch, the speed and scale of this construction has been mind boggling, for the simple reason, it gives you an understanding of the gravity of this pandemic. 1020 beds in the first wing. Almost 250 beds of oxygen supply and the same for high dependency beds. The modular ICU unit from NSCI dome will be replicated here to build a jumbo ICU as well in another unit of the same facility. Similar facilities are coming up in more hotspot areas of Maharashtra. While we salute our frontline warriors- the doctors, medical staff, police and while we pray for those infected by corona for their recovery, I urge you to take care of yourself! Stay home and Stay safe! Most of us haven’t yet realised the real scale of this pandemic, as seen in other countries. Heartbreaking scenes of devastation. Let’s keep our street, our vicinity, our city, our state, our country, our loved ones away from it by staying home and staying safe!

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2. National Sports Club of India

This iconic heritage structure with its dome-shaped auditorium was built in 1950, soon after India became independent. It is known for hosting events like TEDx talks, Broadway-like musicals and music concerts.

In view of the pandemic, the dome is now converted into a 600-bed quarantine facility with 40 Intensive Care Unit beds.

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NSCI Dome, Worli: Started off as a facility to house the increasing patients we checked from Worli Constituency, has turned out to be a state of the art facility for covid care. Not just for Maharashtra, but teams from Union Government have visited this many times to replicate this model. Now a plug and play model, it was developed for our team by our very own Dr Muffazal Lakdawala and team, along with Asst Mun Commissioner Sharad Ughade ji. CSR Partners, Pravin Pardeshi ji, Iqbal Singh Chahal ji, Suresh Kakani ji, Ashutosh Salil and many more supported this wholeheartedly. The facility has 600 beds and a team of doctors working 24/7 to assist every patient. This week, 40 ICU beds would be added to this facility. —— Apart from nurses walking around in PPEs, many patients are also wearing a tag that help us maintain a no touch patient check up. The original facility that was meant for simply lying in for covid patients, quickly ramped up to oxygen support, pregnancy care and also supporting patients with high Co morbidity. The doctors also engage with the patients via a negative pressure OPD, negative pressure swan test booth and no touch health check up, which allows the doctors to not wear PPEs. —— We have a bus that goes around not just with swab tests, but a negative pressure OPD and also X-ray screening to point whether a person is covid positive or negative, connected to artificial intelligence. —— Apart from simply check ups, the team interacts with patients through morning yoga, evening outdoor walks and stretches and movies as well! No wonder most don’t want to leave, but we don’t want you to come to these facilities! Stay home, Stay safe!

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3. Mahalaxmi Racecourse

Built in 1883, the Mahalaxmi Racecourse is one of the most breathtaking spots in the city. It recently hosted the 2020 Indian Derby in February. But the iconic spot’s parking lot has now been turned into a 300-bed isolation center, created using tent hanger structures and canopies. According to reports, there are plans to add another 500 beds in the facility.

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4. Mahim Nature Park

Dis you know this 37-acre nature park was once a dumping ground? Well, now this green pocket is being transformed again into a quarantine facility for high-risk contacts of virus patients near Dharavi. It will reportedly have 1,200 beds, along with 20 beds isolated for patients who show severe symptoms.

5. NESCO Grounds

A place where conventions, exhibitions and trade fairs were held once upon a time, Goregaon’s NESCO Grounds have now been converted into a quarantine facility for 1,200 asymptomatic patients from Mumbai’s slums.

6. Nehru Science Centre

A popular place for science-lovers, and school-field trips, the Nehru Science Centre has now been converted into an isolation facility of 100 beds for slum dwellers.

 

7. Nehru Planetarium

Another popular spot for lovers of the sun and stars and all things space, the dome-shaped structure of Mumbai’s Nehru planetarium is now being transformed into a 300-bed facility for asymptomatic patients.

Not only these, more and more spots are being converted into quarantine centres. In fact, there are reports that the Wankhede stadium might be converted into a quarantine facility too! As our beloved Mumbai braces for the surge in the coronavirus cases, authorities are putting in every inch of their might to help Mumbai sail through this storm.