Apartment residents turn security guards, housekeepers

Kannada actor-director Srinath Vasishta has donned many a role in his reel life, including that of a security guard. On Monday, he became one in real life, too, as he checked vehicle movement and the temperature of everyone entering his apartment complex.

In a unique show of solidarity to combat the pandemic, Srinath and his fellow residents at Gopalan Brindavan Apartment complex at Amarajyothi Nagar in the city have taken to security and housekeeping work over the past week.

After one of their security personnel tested positive for Covid-19 last week, the residents came up with the ingenious measure to stand by their staff in the hour of crisis: Do the work themselves while ensuring quarantine, timely food and complete salaries for all their staff. The residents are managing this alongside their full-time jobs.

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Speaking to DH, Srinath said, “I had played the role of a security guard in one of the Kannada serials Chi.Sow.Savithri. This time, I did it for real. I spent the day tracking vehicles moving in and out of the apartment complex, monitoring temperature and checking if people were wearing masks.”

Sunil Krishnan, secretary of the apartment management committee, said, “There are six security personnel and five housekeeping staff employed with the apartment complex. After one of them tested positive for the virus, we decided to ask all the staff to quarantine themselves. We are now doing security work in three shifts — one from 6 am to 2 pm, another from 2 pm to 10 pm and the third from 10 pm to 6 am. Each shift is covered by two residents. There are others who are cleaning the apartment premises. We are able to manage as several of us are working from home at present.”

There are 105 flats in the apartment complex. Krishnan, who owns an industrial enterprise in Peenya, covered the security work in night shift over the weekend.

Not all employees have their families living with them in the city. To ensure that they have food on time, the residents are also taking turns in sending food to them, said another resident, Prasanna Kumar K S.

For those with families in the city, they are sending ration and vegetables. The residents have also made sure that all the employees get their full salaries during this time, he said.