Covid-19 in Hyderabad: Crowded transit points likely virus hotspots

HYDERABAD: Transit points for the city’s local workforce are easy spaces for coronavirus to spread, warn officials.
“There are several such points at which both office-goers and labourers gather in the Old City. Mir Chowk and City College bus stop are just two such places,” said Akshay Kumar, who lives in Pathar Gatti. “With cases in Old City on the rise, unrestricted movement to and from transit points is a matter of concern,” he added. “It is common to find people triple-riding or sharing autos heading out from this part of town without masks,” he said. A GHMC official from the area, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they were facing an issue when it came to enforcing mask rule. “We are educating and imposing fines on people, especially repeat offenders,” he said, adding that it is employers who must play a proactive role in creating awareness and providing safe means to travel and work.
Officials fear that the virus may spread from crowded transit points to less affected areas. Dr Chandra Sekhar Reddy, AMOH, Kukatpally, said: “Travel points such as Balanagar crossroads are where a lot of people gather. From here, they travel towards Kukatpally and Moosapet, which is one of the reasons for a rise in cases in that part of city.” He says it is the apathetic attitude that allows people to commute without masks. Giving another example, activist Harish Daga said, “I see labourers sitting in large groups waiting for work at Liberty junction and Abids circle. It could be a disaster if one person tests positive.”