AHMEDABAD: With DRDO’s 900-bed hospital coming up on GMDC ground, senior officials of the department of social justice and the AMC have said that the administration is considering setting up a morgue at Samras hostel.
Since Wednesday, officials have been evaluating the possibility of installing air-conditioners to preserve the bodies for at least 4-5 hours. The Samras hostel will also house sufficient beds provided by the AMC with additional oxygen facility. Right now, the arrangement for some 500 beds has been made at the hostel.“We are arranging extra oxygen for the hostel and the facility will be ready soon,” said a senior AMC official.
Interestingly, almost a year ago, the Samras hostel was being readied as India’s largest Covid facility with 1,200 beds and had begun admitting patients since April 15. The hostel was mainly to isolate people with moderate to mild symptoms till they recovered.
The last patient walked out of the Samras hostel on December 27 last year. On January 7 this year, the hostel was handed over to the social justice department. “A water line that was laid near the boys’ hostel was removed by the AMC thinking that the hostel will not be used as a Covid centre any longer. But now the AMC may lay back the water line,” said a senior official of the social justice department.