Other religious places too, such as Pawan Dham Temple, have been converted into quarantine centres.
Mumbai: As the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) gears up to roll out a mass vaccination drive for all aged above 18 years, the south Mumbai-situated Juma Masjid of Bombay Trust has offered its ground-plus-two-storey premises to the BMC to start a vaccination centre. Spread across more than an acre, the two-storey quadrangular mosque at Janjikar Street is run by the Juma Masjid of Bombay Trust.
According to Shuaib Khatib, the chairman of Juma Masjid of Bombay Trust, many members of the community have been hesitant to take the jab and therefore they are of the opinion that starting a centre in their premises would encourage them to put aside their apprehensions. “The premises were kept reserved for medical purposes only, so what’s better than starting a vaccination centre on a temporary basis? Cold storage and other necessary infrastructure would be provided by our trust for the benefit of the public,” said Khatib.
The chairman of Juma Masjid of Bombay Trust stated that “The premises had been reserved for most effective scientific functions, so what’s higher than beginning a vaccination centre on a brief foundation? A chilly garage and different important infrastructures could be equipped by way of our belief for the advantage of the general public.”
Shuaib Khatib, chairman of Juma Masjid of Bombay Trust, said many members of the community have been hesitant to take the jab and therefore they are of the opinion that starting a centre in their premises would encourage them to put aside their apprehensions. “The premises were kept reserved for medical purposes only, so what’s better than starting a vaccination centre on a temporary basis? Cold storage and other necessary infrastructure would be provided by our trust for the benefit of the public,” said Khatib.
Amin Patel, Congress MLA from Mumbadevi, stated that he had already forwarded the request letter to the BMC and would be pursuing it. Patel stated he has given the BMC an additional inventory of six different places, together with municipal dispensaries where vaccination centres can start. “There is the Najam Baug dinner party corridor in this, which was once changed into a Covid centre previously,” stated Patel.
Meanwhile, Andheri MLA Ameet Satam of the BJP, has written to the BMC to use the Andheri sports complex as a mega on-the-spot vaccination centre, bearing in mind the amenities and conserving capability. With expanding queues for vaccination and scenes of senior citizens queueing up for their jab in the sizzling heat, it is necessary to streamline the process and plan and strategise the vaccination process by way of taking it to important centres that have a huge area and numerous amenities, stated Satam in his letter.
BJP corporator Nehal Shah too has written to the BMC to begin vaccination centres in two colleges in Dadar East and Antop Hill. Shah stated it was necessary to open extra centres for the electorate so that social distancing could be maintained.
BMC officers stated whilst they have already started talks with all political representatives for beginning vaccination centres, colleges have shied away from it, since in case they want to reopen.
As Juma Mosque is spread over a vast area, its premises will be utilised by the civic body to begin the third phase of the inoculation drive. Similar to the Juma Masjid, there are other religious places and organisations as well—those who have come forward to lend their space to Covid patients in this crisis. Pawan Dham Temple in Mumbai has been converted into a Covid-19 quarantine centre for those who get infected by coronavirus.