As a fallout of the recent controversy over facilities at the COVID Care Centre (CCC) at Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC) — touted to be the largest in the State — the facility is now likely to be ready only by August, pushing the date of it becoming operational by nearly a month.
Rajendra Kumar Kataria, Secretary of Department of Horticulture, who heads the team constituted to oversee setting up of the CCC in the city, had pointed out that hiring the cots and beds would translate to ₹24,000 a month, while a good quality cot was available in the market anywhere between ₹7,000 to ₹10,000. Following this, Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa had directed the officials to explore the possibility of buying the beds and cots from the service providers.
Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike Commissioner B.H. Anil Kumar, who heads the task force formed to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, said a team had been constituted to look into the procurement of seven different reusable items, including beds and cots. The team would recommend rates based on the prevailing market rates, following which negotiations with the service providers would be taken up.
A senior official said this meant that BIEC would be ready only in August. The plan was to open BIEC and shut down CCC in Sri Sri Ravishankar Ayurveda Hospital, GKVK – Agriculture Hostel, and Government Ayurveda Hospital. “This was in anticipation of the educational institutions being allowed to open in September,” the official said and added that Haj Bhavan and BIEC were expected to take the load.
In addition to this, the service providers, who have provided several components of the infrastructure, including beds, cots, generators, shower cubicles, etc., are now contemplating taking them all back. This may further have a bearing on when the CCC will be ready to accept COVID-19 patients.
A service provider, who spoke to The Hindu on condition of anonymity, said his firm had provided 49 different items, including sofas, electrical points, partitions, toilets, generators. “We don’t want to get involved any more. We are ready to sell the beds and cots at whatever rate the government fixes. We will take a call on the remaining items shortly,” he said.
Dashboard on bed availability
The BBMP has set up a dashboard to provide information about real-time bed availability in Bengaluru. People can log in to http://chbms.bbmpgov.in/ portal/reports/hreport.html