Ahead of Cyclone, MMRDA Shifts 150 Coronavirus Patients at BKC to Safer Place

Town planning authority MMRDA on Tuesday said that nearly 150 patients at its COVID facility in Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC)have been shifted to another location as a precaution in the wake of the Nisarga Cyclone which is expected to make a landfall close to the city tomorrow.

According to the meteorological department, the cyclonic storm 'Nisarga' over the Arabian Sea is likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm in the next 12 hours.

The Chief Minister's Office has also issued an alert for districts including Mumbai city and suburbs, Thane, Palghar, Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg for the impact of the storm.

"The impending threat of Nisarga Cyclone is upon Mumbai. Although the COVID-19 hospital can sustain strong winds of up to 80-100 km per hour, however, with human lives at stake, as a precautionary measure, all the patients (about 150) from the hospital are being shifted by BMC," the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) said in a tweet.

As per the Met Department's forecast, the cyclonic storm will cross north Maharashtra and adjoining south Gujarat coast between Harihareshwar and Daman, close to Alibaug (in Maharashtras Raigad), on June 3 as a severe cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind 100-110 gusting to 120 kmph.

The MMRDA has set up a 1,008-bed facility, where nearly 150 patients are taking treatment. It is also setting up another 1,000-bed Covid hospital at BKC.

"MMRDA is taking extra measures like more strengthening of pillars with sand bags, doing bracing of structure of Covid facility at BKC, switching of electricity, AC and oxygen facility during cyclone to prevent fire incidents. All project sites are also being protected," it said.

MMRDA is currently implementing large infrastructure projects in the megapolis including the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link and all of the metro projects except Colaba-Bandra-Seepz metro 3 corridor.

The authority also tweeted, "Although we continue adaptive steps towards strengthening the facility, we hope that Nisarga cyclone hits its weekend mode before it reaches Mumbai.