The three municipal corporations of the city have appealed the Delhi government to make transport arrangements for those choosing to get vaccinated during night curfew timings.
North Delhi Municipal Corporation mayor Jai Prakash said due to the night curfew, there is no public transport available after 10pm. So during the hours of the curfew, he requested that the government makes alternative travel arrangements for those wanting to take the jab at the 24-hour vaccination centres in the city and also for those working in these vaccination centres.
“Not everyone is able to get an e-pass permitting them to move around during the curfew hours and even if people do get the pass, how they will be able to get a public transport after 10pm? So I have written to the chief minister urging him to find a solution to the problem of commute of health-care staff and the general public to and from 24-hour vaccination centres during night curfew timings,” Prakash said.
He said he will conduct a night patrol on Thursday to understand the issues people are facing, especially related to vaccination, during the night curfew.
The north corporation on Wednesday made its Mrs Girdhar Lal Maternity Hospital a 24-hour vaccination centre. It is the first MCD hospital to be converted into a round-the-clock vaccination facility. There are nearly 75 vaccination centres being managed by the three municipalities across the city where till Wednesday, nearly 1.6 lakh people had taken the jab. Apart from these, there are 33 more government hospitals offering similar facilities.
“If people are unable to reach the 24-hour vaccination centres during the night curfew hours, either due to the lack of an e-pass or due to the lack of public transport, then keeping these centres open round the clock will be a futile exercise as people will not be getting vaccinated in adequate numbers. So the government should address these issues,” Prakash further said.
Narendra Chawla, leader of the house in South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC), said the night curfew might be a required step but the government should also ensure that people are able to reach the 24-hour vaccination centres at their given time slots. “Some arrangement should be made to ensure that people (whose vaccination slot is during curfew timings) do not face problem in reaching the centre,” Chawla said.
Nirmal Jain, mayor of East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC), also echoed similar views and said the government should take these issues into consideration and work out a solution. “We (representatives of the three municipalities) are planning to meet the lieutenant-governor in the coming days to discuss all these issues,” Jain said.
