[wheelguy]

India's only Formula 1 circuit will now house migrant workers as lockdown restrictions tighten.

The Buddh International Circuit will host migrant workers who have been rushing to their native places from the national capital as economic activity came to a grinding halt due to the 21-day lockdown ordered to contain the Covid-19 infection, a Times of India report said.

The district magistrate of Gautam Budh Nagar, B N Singh, has invoked special powers under the Disaster Management Act to designate Jaypee Sports City as shelter home for migrant workers.

"JPSI Sports City, Yamuna Expressway along with their building and other resources have been designed as shelter homes with immediate effect for the medical treatment, food and lodging of people of the district or other states, who are destitute in Gautam Budh Nagar," ANI quoted the order from the Gautam Budh Nagar District Magistrate.

The DM has ordered the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority to construct makeshift structures to house these migrant workers.

The migrant workers won't be allowed in the core area of the Formula 1 circuit, according to the report.

After the order, the YEIDA officials rushed to make arrangements for the migrant workers. “Water and electricity connections are available. Others things have been ordered. The arrangement would be done in makeshift structures,” the Times of India report quoted Navneet Goel, YEIDA’s officer on special duty, as saying.

India's only Formula 1 circuit was taken over by Yamuna Expressway Authorities in the wake of non-payments by the Jaypee Group.

Source

[Reinhard]

Seems like a good step. Looking at the vast number of migrant workers without proper facilities, this large setup of BIC should be able to provide them shelter & basic facilities.

The most important thing that the authorities must (and surely will be) taking care of is - separation of people from each other & sanitation. Otherwise such large arrangements might end up being a festive season for not just COVID19 but other infections also. If care is not taken, it can be a good incubator and oven for diseases. Good luck to the authorities & may they all do well in protecting us.

[Nikhilb2008]

I've been to the BIC multiple times and surely, there is a lot of space to be utilised. However, I am concerned about sanitation. There are toilet blocks in a few places, but they are nowhere close to enough to handle thousands of people LIVING there.

[1.2TSI7DSG]

On one side happy to see the jugaad. On the other extremely sad to see the death of the circuit.

[DaptChatterjee]

The headline seems to be misleading and the article clearly states later that the Sports City is the designated area. Sports City is a partially built residential project (by now bankrupt Jaypee Group) around the race circuit. So I think that the race track and associated buildings won't be touched.

[wheelguy]

Originally Posted by Nikhilb2008

I've been to the BIC multiple times and surely, there is a lot of space to be utilised. However, I am concerned about sanitation. There are toilet blocks in a few places, but they are nowhere close to enough to handle thousands of people LIVING there.

Government has been procuring thousands of mobile toilets since years for various purposes. One of my knowns is a supplier.