Amit Shah, Kejriwal visit 10,000-bed Chhatarpur Covid facility

Union home minister Amit Shah on Saturday visited the newly built 10,000-bed Covid care facility in Chhatarpur to take stock of the arrangements at the centre. Shah was accompanied by Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal.

HT had reported on June 12 that the Delhi government had taken over the campus of Radha Soami Satsang Beas, a spiritual organisation, that would accommodate at least 10,000 beds. Named after Sardar Patel, the facility is roughly the size of 22 football fields. It has been turned into a temporary hospital to treat patients of the coronavirus disease with mild to moderate symptoms. The Delhi government is also seeking to increase the number of beds available for patients by setting up makeshift hospitals in 40 hotels and 77 banquet halls. The idea is to add 15,800 beds for sick patients. Five hundred converted railway coaches will add another 8,000 beds for the city’s Covid-19 patients.

“The facility has 2,000 beds ready now. Though it has fans, the centre will be cooled by 18,000 tonnes of air-conditioners. The facility will have two segments - Covid Care Centre (CCC), where asymptomatic positive cases will be treated, and Dedicated Covid Health Care (DCHC). The CCC will have 90% beds while the remaining would be in DCHC,” said a senior official in the south district administration.

After the visit, the home minister tweeted: “Visited the ‘Sardar Patel COVID Care Centre’ in Delhi to review its preparedness. I thank Radha Soami Satsang Beas and all others who helped to create this huge Covid care facility. This 10,000 bed centre would provide huge relief to the people of Delhi.”

“I applaud our courageous @ITBP_official personnel, who would be operating this Covid Care facility during these trying times. Their commitment to serve nation and people of Delhi is unparalleled. Modi govt at the centre is committed to provide all possible help to its citizens,” he said in another tweet.

Kejriwal also applauded the support extended by the Beas. “In this hour of difficulty, I sought help to save Delhi and everyone has come forward to contribute enthusiastically. With the support of the Central government and Radha Soami Satsang Beas, such a large Covid centre has come up for Delhiites,” the CM tweeted.

Of the total 10,208 beds at the centre, 10% are equipped with oxygen support devices.

BSES Rajdhani Power Limited (BRPL) has deployed 100 workers to provided the power infrastructure at the site. As per Delhi government’s estimates, 23 Megawatt electricity would be needed to run the facility.

“The BRPL is laying four dedicated 11KV feeders, which totals to around 22 Kms, using trenchless technology (which involves minimal road-cutting). All the cables are being laid-underground,” a BRPL spokesperson said.

“Working against gruelling deadlines, BSES’ team has managed to commission a load of 4,000 KW (4 MW) by June 25. Rest of the load (19,000 kW or 19 MW) will be commissioned by July 5,” BRPL said in a statement.