Mumbai corp to take over empty private buildings, hotels

In a significant order that signals the grave situation, the Mumbai civic body has decided to make requisition rooms in private buildings, lodges, hotels and ships.

The order was issued by BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation on Tuesday evening as Mumbai's COVID-19 positive cases soared to 300 plus.

The order issued by Municipal Commissioner Praveen Pardeshi states that the Assistant Commissioners of Wards are authorised to requisition the empty residential buildings, lodges, hotels, dharmashalas, clubs, gymkhanas, exhibition centres, colleges, hostels, dormitories, cruise, ships, marriage halls, banquet halls with immediate effect.

In the Mumbai metropolitan region the unsold housing inventory is close to 2.10 lakh and that of Mumbai around 1 lakh, real estate and housing sector sources said.
Parseshi reasoned that the high risk and low-risk people who came in contact with positive COVID-19 patients in some particular buildings/areas/localities are living in very small houses.

Besides, the localities being dense, they are using sanitation facilities and are vulnerable to get infected. Hence, they need to be shifted from such places urgently to avoid the spread of virus.

He said that many places in possession of private parties are lying vacant because of India lockdown.

He directed that the Assistant Commissioners can use these vacant rooms for quarantining persons who were in contact with Covid -19 patients.

It was also mentioned that the Assistant Commissioners will provide for food and basic arrangements in these quarantining places.

Separate orders for payment to owners and food arrangements would be issued.