BIEC isn’t fully ready for patients: Siddaramaiah

Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah said on Tuesday that the Covid Care Centre coming up at the Bengaluru International Exhibition Centre (BIEC) needed more work.

Siddaramaiah, who visited the facility, said it was not fully ready yet in terms of infrastructure.

“The CM said that the BIEC would be Asia’s biggest centre. So, I came to see how things are. But the facilities here aren’t up to the mark. The government should take note,” Siddaramaiah told reporters.

“I am told that the registration at BIEC will start from Friday. Officials say that asymptomatic patients will be admitted here. But with such facilities, it remains to be seen how the government will manage,” he said.

For instance, Siddaramaiah pointed out, the government was still in the process of recruiting the required doctors and other personnel for the facility.

Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, during his address to the state, requested Siddaramaiah to give suggestions.

“Earlier, I visited BIEC and decided that we should purchase the 6,500 beds at a cost of Rs 7 crore, instead of renting them at Rs 800 per steel bed,” he said.