MUMBAI: A day after the Brihamumbai Municipal Commissioner's (BMC) directive to start at least seven more drive-in vaccination centres, Mumbai will get three more such facilities with one being started at the elite Willingdon Sports Club in Tardeo from Saturday at 11, while other two are at Worli's National Sports Club of India (NSCI) parking lot and Andheri Sports complex. After the success of the first drive-in vaccination centre that was set up at Dadar earlier this week, the BMC chief on Thursday directed all the zonal deputy municipal commissioners to set up one such drive-in vaccination centre in each administrative zones across the city within 24 hours.
"We have decided to start only seven such drive-in vaccination centres. The first one is already existing at Dadar under G northward. One has been identified at Tardeo's Willingdon club, which starts from Saturday, whereas another will start shortly at NSCI, Worli. Other zones are yet to identify spaces to set up a drive-in vaccination centre, which will be operational next week," said Suresh Kakani, Additional Municipal Commissioner (Health).
"Beneficiaries would be administered the vaccine at the porch area of the restaurant while being seated in their cars. Post immunisation they will have to wait in the parking lot," said Prashant Gaikwad, assistant municipal commissioner of BMC D ward (Tardeo, Peddar road, Breach Candy etc)
He added, "It is an open-air parking lot so it would ensure good ventilation in case of those coming to take the jab. We also have informed the traffic police along the Keshavrao Khadye Marg along with the club about starting the facility."
Meanwhile, plans are already underway to start a drive-in vaccination facility at NSCI. NSCI is Mumbai’s first Jumbo Covid Care Centre that started within the dome of Worli's NSCI last year. “Yes, we have identified NSCI for drive-in vaccination centres. The NSCI's parking lot can accommodate 800 vehicles at a time but we will be using only half of the space while another half will have to be kept available as a waiting area for those already administered vaccine jabs to stay under observation for half an hour in case of any adverse event following immunization (AEFI),” said Sharad Ughade, assistant municipal commissioner of G (south) ward (Worli, Prabhadevi etc).
Besides this, civic officials of other zones/ wards are working on identifying suitable space for setting up drive-in vaccination centres. "We are yet to identify a space suitable for a drive-in vaccine centre, according to the protocol. We will start one in the region by next week," said Chanda Jadhav, assistant municipal commissioner of A ward (Churchgate, Fort and Colaba).
Vinayak Vispute, assistant municipal commissioner of H (west) ward (Bandra west, Khar) said: "We have identified two to three spaces, we are working on these options. By Saturday we will be able to shortlist one of the three options to set up a drive-in vaccine centre."
