Coronavirus: BMC planning to use Wankhede Stadium as quarantine centre

The Wankhede Stadium complex comprises the main stadium, the BCCI office, MCA office, MCA lounge and the Garware Club House

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Friday directed the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) to hand over some facilities of Wankhede Stadium in the southern part of the metropolis to the civic body to create facilities in connection with the novel coronavirus outbreak.
 
In a letter, A Ward Assistant Municipal Commissioner Chanda Jadhav said the "hotel/lodge/clubs/college/exhibition centres/dormitories/marriage hall/gymkhana/banquet hall" must be handed over "with immediate effect".


 
"The said premises will be used for emergency staff of 'A' Ward and quarantine the person whoever is in contact with a positive Covid-19 patient and are not symptomatic," the letter stated.
 
Will BMC pay for acquiring the stadium?
 
The civic body said the acquisition was of a temporary nature and payments for use of facilities would be done at a later date. 

The Wankhende Stadium complex comprises the main stadium, the BCCI office, MCA office, MCA lounge and the Garware Club House.
 
The MCA Lounge is a banquet hall, while the Garware Club House has over 50 rooms and a few halls inside it.

Wankhede Stadium capacity
 
The stadium has a capacity of 33,108, following renovations for the 2011 Cricket World Cup. Before the upgrade, the capacity was approximately 45,000.

Wankhede Stadium location

The Wankhede Stadium is located at Vinoo Mankad Road, Churchgate, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400020

 What if MCA refuses to hand over the Stadium facilities to BMC?
 
It warned the MCA that refusal to cooperate could invite police action for disobedience to official order.
 
What MCA said in reply to BMC order?
 
An MCA apex council member said there was no hesitation on part of the cricket body to help authorities tackling the virus outbreak.
 
A senior MCA official said they had received the letter on Friday morning.
 
Other sports facility used by BMC in wake of Covid-19
 
Earlier, the BMC acquired Worli-based National Sport Club of India's indoor stadium and some other gymkhana premises to set up quarantine and isolation facilities.
 
With the Covid-19 scourge continuing, the BMC has also acquired nearly 200 properties like hotels, marriage halls, exhibition centres, banquet halls, schools, colleges, club facilities, etc, under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 and Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897.

Check live updates on Covid-19 pandemic here
 
Covid-19 cases in Maharashtra as of May 16, 2020 at 12 pm
 
The total case tally of Maharashtra has gone past 29,000 (at 29,100), with a daily addition of 1,576 cases. The state has added more than 1,000 cases on 12 days in a row — 13,575 cases (47% of total) added in these 12 days. Maharashtra accounts for 34% of all coronavirus cases, and 40% of active cases, in the country.

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