Coronavirus outbreak: BMC takes over Nehru Centre for COVID-19 fight

A slice of the verdant Nehru Science Centre in Worli has been taken over by the civic authorities for what Centre director Dr S Khened thinks must be for an isolation centre or for quarantineKhened said I do not know exactly for which We got official communication a couple of days earlier that a portion of the centres space will be acquired The front portion of the Centre just as you enter the main gate has been taken We usually use that space to hold Science exhibitions We have also held a vintage car exhibition two years ago in that venue so it is a massive spaceCentre officials said preparations are in full swing with beds and mattresses and even mobile toilets being brought in The Science Centre officials have tried to talk to those in charge at the site for details but without too much successThey reasoned it is evident that the officials are extremely stressed and we are in fact prepared for the worst Authorities are working extremely hard to get this ready they statedKhened said that the environs of the Centre are very green and will need to be maintained We need to have some skeletal staff inside to maintain the green patches the trees the many plants that we have They need water and regular upkeep he said adding that it was important that the Coronavirus facility is completely sealed off from the other parts of the sprawling complexThe Centre also has skeletal staff quarters on the premises where currently eight senior officers are living with their families so it is vital that those who are going to be shifted into the facilities for Coronavirus be confined to that space I am sure this has been thought out and will be done said KhenedPhysical spaceThe Science centre has moved its activities online like most other institutions with two virtual lectures scheduled on their YouTube channel on May 9 and May 11 respectively The former will be a talk by Dr Vasant Shinde on Rakhigarhi Excavation and the latter is Dr Anil Kakodkar on dealing with energy needs in the context of climate crisis Yet said Dr Khened We will open again as a physical space when the government gives the green light Children the main visitors at the Centre may have some apprehension about visiting since this will be used as a Coronavirus facilityThere is a great deal of wariness as the Centre is just next to the Jijamata Nagar slum area which is a COVID hotspot However with all the trepidation we too understand that this is for the greater good and everybody has to do their part in this fight the director saidLine upThe Worli area with an unenviable record number of Coronavirus cases in Mumbai is also being taken over as quarantineisolation areas rapidly Just around the corner from the Science Centre the Nehru Centre which is next to the Nehru Planetarium has also been acquired for Corona purposesS P Verma Jt Director of Nehru Centre said The two exhibition halls on the ground floor have been acquired not the Nehru Planetarium I think beds and other amenities will be moved in shortly I do not know when exactly We had been told to hand over possession of the spaces and have done so he finishedThe Nehru Centre joins neighbour NSCI clubs The Dome and Mahalaxmi racecourse as an entire line of Haji Ali institutions whose space has been acquired for Corona combatCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and a complete guide from food to things to do and events across Mumbai Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates MidDay is now on Telegram Click here to join our channel middayinfomedialtd and stay updated with the latest news