Pune Municipality Corporation to convert Baner building into isolation centre

Pune: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has decided to use 95 flats in a building as an isolation ward. The building is located in Baner. The civic body is searching for other places to lodge infected and suspected cases of COVID-19 in isolation other than their hospitals and maternity homes.

On Friday, the Maharashtra Area Housing and Development Authority (MHADA) handed over its flats to the Pune district administration for using as isolation centres. Later, the PMC land and estate department made a list of their High-Density Housing reservation (HDH) buildings to be used as isolation centres. The PMC has now decided to convert the seven-storey building, which has 95 flats. The area of a unit is 200 square feet with an attached kitchen.

While speaking to Sakal Times, Rajendra Muthe, PMC land and estate department said, “We have 95 flats which can be used as isolation centres.”

There are flats under the HDH reservation and economic weaker section (EWS) reservation. Under this quota, private developers will have to hand over 15 per cent of flats to the civic body after the development of reserved land. 

However, there are very few standalone buildings, which residents have not occupied yet. One of the officials said, “We cannot use occupied residential buildings for isolation purposes. We want a standalone building only. The Baner-based seven-storied building is standalone and is not in use. We can use it for the isolation purpose. We have to do some maintenance work to use it. We will do it in two days and use it as an isolation centre.”

Meanwhile, the PMC has already made arrangements in college hostels and education establishments.