According to a Chennai Corporation source, the civic body is in talks with the government departments, including the health department, to convert the facility and use it as a hospital for a certain period. “However, the final decision is yet to be taken. If the stadium is converted to treat COVID-19 patients, this will add more beds,” the source added. 

During the first wave of the COVID-19 in 2020, the civic body utilised the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium to store relief materials, beds and other items, which were procured for creating COVID care centres. 

The government had announced that the COVID care centre at the Chennai Trade Centre in Nandambakkam would function from Monday. Of the 1,000 beds proposed there, more than 800 beds will have oxygen support. 

Already, several educational institutions and students’ hostels, including IIT Madras, Anna University, Victoria Hostel, have been converted into COVID care centres, where patients with mild symptoms are treated.