Mumbai: Those in sealed slums fewer than in buildings

A sealed building with a BMC notice in Colaba in November 2020

In sharp contrast to June last year, the number of people in containment zones (CZ) in slums is lesser than those living in sealed buildings. While it remains mainly on paper, the numbers show how new cases are spread out rather than concentrated in one area. There are 66,000 people living under CZs in slums and 3.73 lakh people residing in sealed buildings.

In June 2020, amid rising COVID-19 cases in slums, the fight concentrated on cleaning and sanitising common toilets and chawls and COVID care centres were full of quarantined patients. Eventually, the BMC started sealing large slum pockets. In the last week of June, more than half the city's population, 61.7 lakh people, were staying inside areas with almost no activity. There were 726 CZs in slums with 10,900 households and 47.1 lakh people residing inside. Bhandup, Mankhurd, Govandi and Kurla had a high number of CZs. At the same time, there were 5,831 sealed buildings with 14.6 lakh people. Even though cases started reducing, the BMC did not open the slums, at least on paper, as it was easy to curb activities in case of a sudden rise in cases.

Of the 12 CZs, eight are in Bhandup (S ward), two are in Kurla (L ward) and one each in H east and F south ward.

As per the latest data, there are 18 sealed buildings with five or more cases in Bhandup and Chembur (M west), 15 in Bandra West-Santacruz West (H west) and 14 in Jogeshwari West-Vile Parle West (K west) with a total of 36,000 people.

In the 1,849 buildings with less than five cases and one or two floors sealed, there are 3.37 lakh residents. The K West ward tops the list with 374 buildings, followed by 290 in Borivli (R Central). There are over 150 buildings each with at least one floor sealed in Mulund, Malabar Hill-Tardeo and Goregaon.

"It shows that, unlike the earlier situation, the cases are not concentrated in one area but rather spread out in various locations. There are one or two cases in buildings and very few cases in slums. A majority of cases are asymptomatic and 80 per cent of people are quarantined in their homes," said a senior BMC officer.

Sealing Situation in the city
CZ in slums
Bhandup (S ward): 8
Kurla (L ward): 2
Bandra East to Santacruz East (H east): 1
Parel (F south):- 1

Sealed buildings
Bhandup (S ward ): 18
Chembur (M west): 18
Bandra W-Santacruz W (H west): 15
Jogeshwari W to Vile Parle W (K west): 14

Buildings with sealed floors
Jogeshwari W to Vile Parle W (K west): 374
Borivali (R central): 290
Mulund (T): 170
Malabar Hill-Tardeo (D): 154
Goregaon (P south): 153