IndiaHe also said that the Brihanmumbai MunicipalCorporation (BMC) is not going to take over premises of theWankhede stadium for quarantine facility, as open grounds willnot be useful for the purpose during the upcoming monsoon.
"The BMC has already increased its bed capacity to50,000. We will soon achieve the capacity of one lakh beds,"Chahal told reporters.
On reports of the BMC's move to take over somepremises of the Wankhede stadium for quarantine facility, hesaid, "We are not taking over the cricket stadium or any otheropen space because in Mumbai it sometimes rains continuouslyfor a week. It will not be useful at all for theadministration to take care of people."
"We need to think before taking over any ground forCOVID-19 treatment ahead of the monsoon. Even Chief MinisterUddhav Thackeray had instructed me to consider monsoonchallenges before making any plans for a new facility (forCOVID-19 patients)," he said.
Chahal said some parking lots in the city were abetter option to put up beds for patients.
The parking facility near the Mumbai airport can beused to put up 50,000 beds. Another facility in Aarey area hasthe capacity for at least 1,000 beds. Two parking lots nearSantacruz and Breach Candy Hospital would also useful forputting up beds for COVID-19 patients or isolation purpose,the official said.
"An 800-bed facility set up at the MMRDA ground inBandra-Kurla Complex will be operational from Monday. Theappointment of required officials is done. By Tuesday,patients will start being admitted there, Chahal said.
Some private hospitals, government hostels and othersuch facilities have already been taken over by the BMC.
"The ICU facilities of these private hospitals willsoon be used for treatment of COVID-19 patients. This willhelp in containing the rising number of deaths, he said.
Asked about restructuring the COVID-19 containmentzones in areas falling under the civic limits, Chahal saidthere are 690 containment zones in Mumbai at present and mostof the cases are being reported from there.
There are some 1,500 buildings where one or two peopletested positive for coronavirus, but the entire 15 to 20-storey building was earlier declared as a containment zone. Itrequired additional police staff also.
"Hence, we changed the definition from the entirebuilding to floor and its sanitisation is undertaken by theBMC. It reduced the requirement of police officials in suchplaces and they were deployed at other places for better use.Nearly 3,000 police officials have been shifted to slum areasas there is more need for security deployment there, he said.
The official also informed that managements of housingsocieties in the city have been given the responsibility toensure people do not move out, he said.
Chahal also said that BMC's ambulance strength hasbeen increased from 80 to 350.
"Besides, we brought some 50 doctors here from Wardhalast week. We are getting 100 doctors from Ambejogai (tehsilin Beed district), while nearly 2,000 doctors have committedto volunteer in the fight against coronavirus, he said.
The only problem is availability of sweepers andcleaners in state-run and private hospitals. The currentattendance of the staff is merely 40 per cent, he said.
"If the BEST (civic body's transport arm runningbuses) service is improved, more people can come to work,Chahal said.
Till Saturday, Mumbai reported 18,555 COVID-19 casesand 696 deaths. NDGK GK