Delhi Police providing meals to labourers stuck in its GTB Nagar complex

About 150 labourers and their family members stuck in Delhi Police's New Police Lines Complex after several renovation projects were curtailed due to lockdown are being provided meals and essentials to maintain personal hygiene, officials said on Thursday.

The labourers were engaged in projects like renovation of barracks and residential colonies carried out by the Public Work Department in New Police Lines Complex, Kingsway Camp, northwest Delhi.

They are also being informed about the precautionary measures to be taken to fight COVID-19, the police said.

"The renovation work on these projects had to be curtailed. Various projects of PWD had engaged about 150 labourers including their family members through various contractors," Special Commissioner of Police (Armed Police) Robin Hibu said.

Due to lack of mobility and curbs on general public movement, contractors could not approach these labourers for timely help, he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday extended the three-week lockdown to stem the spread of coronavirus till May 3. The country is under lockdown since March 25.

The 1st Battalion of Delhi Armed Police is providing food to all labourers who got stranded in New Police Lines Complex due to the lockdown, Hibu said.

They have been given face masks, sanitizers and soaps to maintain proper hygiene and their places of residence sprayed with disinfectants, he said.

PWD contractors are also sending monetary help of Rs 1,000 per labourer per week to meet their expenses other than meals, he added.