Newly-constructed Pachpaoli police quarters turned into Q-centre

Nagpur: The dreams of constables to live in the newly-constructed 2-BHK apartments in the Pachpaoli police quarters crashed after NMC earmarked it for a quarantine centre.
Around 197 flats were readied by the Mumbai-based Maharashtra state police housing and welfare corporation limited. The flats now have no takers with 600 Covid suspects quarantined and 84 of them positive.
The apartments were about to get allotted to the constables when the Corona pandemic outbreak changed the scenario. Compelled to live in the pigeonhole quarters with leaky roofs and broken floor tiles, the constables were set to get the posh apartments after former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had taken up the cause to provide quality accommodation.
Some constables were fortunate enough to get the new flats within the police headquarters but the allotment for the ones at Pachpaoli was to begin when it turned into a quarantine centre.
Though a senior cop said that each apartment would be fumigated and sanitized properly before being allotted, many constables are unwillingly to stay there with their families, especially aged parents and children.
A cop lamented that in the coming monsoon, they would be forced to stay at the quarters with leaking roofs and flooded floors again with the new quarters being allotted for Corona suspects. “Many constables did duty for decades and also struggled with their families in the rickety quarters. This was the first generation among the lower rung who were to get the apartments with all the modern amenities like the ones for senior officers,” he said.
Another constable said that those accommodated may misuse the facilities. “Will NMC pay for the damages in the newly-constructed flats or will the police department once again have to bear the expenses for renovations or repairs is a million dollar question now,” he said.