World's third largest stadium Eden Gardens to be used as quarantine centre amid COVID

In an attempt to bolster West Bengal's quarantine facilities amid the COVID-19 crisis, the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) has granted Kolkata Police the permission to set up a makeshift quarantine centre at the Eden Gardens. The Bengal board has offered the E, F, G and H blocks for the same initially and some parts of the J Block as well, if required. The Eden Gardens in Kolkata is the third largest cricket stadium in the world with a capacity of 68,000 people. 

The move comes as the number of COVID-19 cases in the state has reached 27109 along with 880 deaths. The state has also witnessed 17348 recoveries from the COVID-19 while there are 8881 active cases at present. 

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Issuing a statement on Saturday, the Cricket Association of Bengal President Avishek Dalmiya said, "Yesterday there was a meeting between CAB officials and the Kolkata police at Lal Bazaar. It has been decided that quarantine facilities will be set up at the Eden Gardens. E, F, G and H blocks will be used initially. If required, a portion of the J block will also be utilized. We at CAB feel it is our duty to stand by the admin during this time of the crisis." 

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Earlier, it was also reported that the Wankhede stadium would be used as a quarantine centre in Mumbai. However, State Minister Aaditya Thackeray refuted the report citing that it would be problematic during the monsoons. 

Strict lockdown in Kolkata

The Kolkata Municipal Corporation has released the list of 25 Containment Zones in the metropolis which will have a strict implementation of lockdown from July 9 for seven days. In a bid to mitigate the spread of Coronavirus, the West Bengal government had on Tuesday decided to impose a complete shutdown in containment zones and buffer zones across the state from 5 pm on July 9 till July 16.

Issuing a notification, the state government said private and government offices in containment zones and buffer zones will remain shut. The notification further allowed essential services to run as usual in these zones. The government also suspended transport services in these zones across the state. It said the relaxations will be given only in green zones.

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