ITBP begins yoga classes for inmates at COVID-19 quarantine facility in Delhi

Over 150 inmates living at the ITBP COVID-19 quarantine facility in Delhi are being taught yoga by special instructors to reduce their stress as they await for their departure from the facility amidst the ongoing lockdown, officials said on Sunday.

The border guarding force has deputed a team of its yoga experts to administer the protocol at the facility located in south-west Delhi's Chhawla area.

There are about 150 inmates, brought to the facility from Milan and Rome in Italy, residing at the quarantine centre at present, an ITBP spokesperson said.

All of them have tested negative for coronavirus, he added.

"Yoga is a stress buster and it boosts immunity and hence the people living at the facility are being provided with the facility of our trainers apart from ensuring other indoor games and activities for the residents," the spokesperson said.

The trainers conduct these sessions in the morning and all precautions of having proper physical distance between the trainees is diligently followed, he added.

About 327 Indians, out of the total 480, living at this facility have departed for their homes over the last few weeks after their tests came out negative, another official said.

As restrictions of travel are in place due to the ongoing lockdown in the country, the departure of the residents is being done in a phased manner, the official said.

Priority is given to those who face emergency at their homes or have a valid reason to travel, he added.

Authorities at the facility are helping the inmates coordinate with the respective resident commissioners of various states posted in Delhi to ensure travel passes and vehicles after clearance from police, the official added.

The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) is running this quarantine facility, one of the largest in the country with 1,000 beds, since January 28.

More than a thousand people, including 42 foreign nationals, have been treated here till now.

A team of ITBP doctors, paramedics, sanitation workers and other administrative work at the facility round-the-clock in close coordination with doctors from premier government hospitals in Delhi like All India Institute Of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and Safdarjung Hospital.

The about 90,000 personnel strong force is primarily tasked to guard the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China apart from rendering a variety of duties in the internal security domain of the country.