Mani Majra continues to be Covid-19 hotspot in Chandigarh

Naina Mishra
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, November 21

Of 96 localities in Chandigarh where Covid has spread its tentacles, Mani Majra continues to be a hotspot as a maximum number of infections have been reported from the locality, even when the city is grappling with the resurgence of the infection.

There were 45 active cases on October 28 in Mani Majra. The active infection count rose to 100 on Friday. The locality has reported 1,432 cases so far, which accounts for eight per cent of the total cases.

On the contrary, Bapu Dham Colony at Sector 26, the locality that once accounted for more than 60 per cent of the UT’s total cases in May, has no active case and is now Covid-free. The area has reported 345 cases till now.

With a population of 1.5 lakh, Mani Majra is one of the densely populated areas of the city, thus the chances of infection spread are very high here. Sudhanshu Gautam, SDM (East), said: “A majority of cases here are being reported from Pipliwala town and Mani Majra Housing Complex. A lot of employees who reside in these areas had contracted infection from their workplaces. When the relaxations were eased in the unlock guidelines, a lot of movement was witnessed in Mani Majra.”

“Secondly, some areas are congested here. A complex comprises at least 24 flats.,” added Gautam. He said: “We have earmarked the areas – Pipliwala town, Shanti Nagar, Modern Housing Complex, mohallas, Darshini Bagh, Rajiv Nagar, New Shivalik Enclave – as zones. We have been able to contain the spread with the help of micro-containment zones and IEC.”

Mandip Brar, Deputy Commissioner of Chandigarh, said: “The Covid-affected zones committee regularly meets to review the situation on the ground.”