Hostel at Sports Complex in Sector 42 now quarantine centre

Deepankar Sharda

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 8

The UT Administration has converted the hostel at the Sector 42 Sports Complex into a Covid-19 quarantine centre.

Trainees of the state-run football, hockey and cricket residential academies reside at the hostel. However, due to closure of these academies, the hostel was lying vacant.The hostel has nearly 24 rooms and six persons can be accommodated in each room. The hostel houses a hi-tech gymnasium hall for players and general public, which will remain shut as a precautionary measure till further orders.

Trainees of certain sports currently practise at different coaching centres running from the complex. They have been advised against going close to the centre.

Sources said over 100 people had already been quarantined at the centre.

“It is just a quarantine centre. No one is allowed to enter or leave without permission. No one at this centre is Covid positive or even asymptomatic or under recovery. These people are those who don’t have a facility to isolate themselves after coming into contact with a suspected or a confirmed case. Tests are conducted regularly and there is nothing to worry about,” said Satish Jain, SDM (South).

Meanwhile, the UT Sports Department has issued a circular wherein coaches and players have been asked to avoid going near the hostel. “We have to fight the pandemic collectively. The department is under the UT Administration and we are abiding by its orders. The only facility at the hostel, the gymnasium hall, will be shut for all till further orders. There are only a few coaching centres being run these days. Players can easily avoid going there,” said Tejdeep Singh Saini, Director, Sports, UT.

A sports official said persons quarantined here use the facilities, including bedding, which were for players below 15 years of age. “The academies are not open yet. But if trainees come to know about it, they will surely hesitate to come here,” said the official.