The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) will set up a health camp and offer Covid testing facilities to pilgrims who arrive in the transit camp near Babughat on their way to Gangasagar Mela, officials said.
Mayor Firhad Hakim chaired a meeting to review the preparedness where senior officials of the KMC, PWD and the transport department were present.
Pilgrims will start arriving at the transit camp from the first week of January the medical camp will be ready by then, said KMC officials.
“There will be a medical camp. Covid testing facilities will be available. Anyone who tests positive will be shifted to earmarked hospitals. The state health department will be approached to provide ambulances,” said a senior KMC official. “The KMC will keep some ambulances at the camp to transport people with other illnesses,” said the official.
Doctors will be available in three shifts at the camp.
Tents for pilgrims are set up on the ground opposite Eden Gardens. Buses ferrying pilgrims are parked at the Bangabasi ground, said another KMC official.
“Cleaning the tents, the grounds, spraying disinfectants, providing potable water in tankers and cleaning the temporary toilets are some of the key responsibilities of the KMC,” said one of the officials.
The transport department was asked to provide buses, which will remain parked near the Alipore Museum and at Dakshineswar. “Many of the pilgrims visit temples at Kalighat and Dakshineswar. For their benefit, the buses were remain parked there,” said a KMC official.
CCTVs, watch towers and cloakrooms will be set up.