Gated communities and standalone apartment blocks in New Town have started restricting entry of “outsiders”, including delivery personnel and vendors, over concerns that the Omicron variant of the coronavirus could drive a fresh surge in Covid cases in the city.
Also, a section of apartment complexes, across all three action areas of the township, has resumed enforcing the “No Mask No Entry” rule and asked guards to ensure that even residents entering the complex in cars or on two-wheelers have masks on.
Several residents’ associations have earmarked areas for washing hands and kept sanitisers in common areas. Outsiders entering the complexes or buildings are having their temperature checked by thermal guns.
At Sanjeeva Town Duplex, guards have been told to ensure that no one could enter without properly wearing a mask. “We have resumed enforcing anti-Covid measures because of the possibility that there could be a renewed surge in cases following the arrival of omicron,” said Rajoshi Gupta, a resident of the complex.
“The guards are verifying whether everyone entering the complex is properly wearing a mask. Hand washing and sanitising facilities have been set up. Delivery personnel are being asked to deposit parcels at the gate and guards are calling up the respective apartments through the intercom and asking residents to pick them up,” said Gupta.
At Uniworld City, visitors are being directed by guards to a designated area to wash hands. No maskless visitor is being allowed.
Pradipta Dutta, a resident of the condominium, said although they had not completely barred the entry of visitors, there were restrictions on the entry of vendors and delivery personnel of online food aggregators. “People who are going door-to-door delivering articles are at a higher risk of contracting the virus because they come in contact with a large number of people.”
All buildings in the complex are being sanitised at least once a day.
Rosedale Garden has lined up several measures to “prevent residents from contracting Covid-19”.
Ranjan Basu, the president of the building’s residents’ association, said the measures were announced a few weeks ago. They include checking the body temperature of all visitors, restricting entry of outsiders “as much as possible” and keeping sanitiser dispensers in all common areas.
“We have advised residents to collect parcels and food packets from the gate. This will prevent entry of those who are part of the high-risk population. Although most residents are vaccinated here, we are exercising utmost caution,” Basu said.
The New Town Forum and News (NTFN), a residents’ initiative, will issue an advisory in all three action areas.
Samaresh Das, of the NTFN, said they would issue a list of dos and don’ts for housing complexes as well as standalone buildings in the first week of January.
