HAL Establishes COVID-19 Care Centre in 16 Days, Hands it Over to State Administration

By Editor 18-Jul-2020

News

Sensing the urgency to control rapidly spreading Pandemic, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited,has converted its Ghatage Convention Centre located on Old Airport Road,Bangalore into a Covid-19 Care Center (CCC) and handed it over to Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). The facility having 160 beds with other supporting infrastructure like toilets, bath rooms etc. was created in 16 days, says R. Madhavan, CMD, HAL. Initially, the facility would be utilized for treatment of asymptomatic COVID-19 positive patients, says Mr. Alok Verma, Director HR.

A MoU was signed between HAL, represented by Venkateswara Rao, GM (CSR) and BBMP, represented by R Venkatachalapathy, Joint Commissioner, Mahadevapura Zone in the presence of senior Government and HAL officials.  Arrangements for doctors and paramedical staff and running of the facility would be taken care by BBMP.

As part of its fight against COVID-19 pandemic, HAL has already contributed Rs 26.25 crores to the PM-CARES Fund (Rs. 20 crores under CSR head with employees contributing another 6.25 crores). HAL produced 300 aerosol boxes have been handed over to various state governments like Karnataka, Telangana, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Gujarat. These boxes are used in hospitals. The company has also distributed personal protective equipment, thousands of masks besides supporting migrant labour by providing them food and shelter. HAL has identified over 600 beds to be utilized as a quarantine facility at its seven locations - Lucknow, Kanpur, Korwa, Hyderabad, Nasik, Koraput and Bengaluru.