200 more tunnels to be made operational at different places across city
Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) on Tuesday installed and operationalised two more decontamination tunnels at two hospitals in the summer capital Srinagar. The tunnels were installed at GB Pant Children Hospital, and SKIMS Medical College Hospital, Bemina, a designated COVID19 centre. “It is important to select the location for tunnel installation where you know most of the people would pass through it. In fact, the tunnels are being installed at the points where medicos, hospital workers, patients and others have no choice but to pass through it,” said Srinagar Mayor Junaid Matoo. So far, the SMC has installed five decontamination tunnels, including the ones at Chest Disease, Lala Ded and SMHS hospitals. Matoo said they have expedited work for installation of 200 more tunnels at different places in Srinagar in coming days – public places, markets, quarantine homes, and hospitals. “It is a race against time. We are taking most preventive measures to minimize the chances of spread of infection in Srinagar,” he said. Matoo lauded the efforts of his team especially mechanical engineers and field staff. “The Corporation is acting on front line in the battle against coronavirus in Srinagar. Our priority and efforts are aimed at preventing community transmission in Srinagar,” the Mayor said. The SMC Commissioner Gazanfar Ali said people in Srinagar have been cooperative. “I have heard about some places where people violated social distancing norm. But authorities have taken appropriate action to discourage such negligent acts,” he said. He said people need not to panic, but follow preventive measures recommended by experts and adhere to prohibitory orders issued by authorities from time to time. Doctors and paramedical staff at GB Pant and SKIMS Hospitals expressed delight over installation of the tunnels. “This is a welcome step and a significant development to fight coronavirus. This will help us a great dealing in our work,” said a doctor at Bemina Hospital. Another doctor at GB Pant Hospital said people, including doctors, hospital workers, patients and other attendants, can get sanitized instantly while entering or leaving the hospital premises. The decontamination tunnels have proved very helpful amid COVID19 threat. The concept of these tunnels was first adopted by countries which have been battling coronavirus for last few months. The SMC has taken several measures to control outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic by sanitizing all areas which reported the infected people. Special focus has also been laid on other areas including quarantine facilities and hospitals.
