High-rise apartment buildings high on lockdown protocol
LUCKNOW: From stopping entry of outsiders by closing the gates to allocating time to buy essential commodities, the high-rise building complexes in Lucknow have initiated several measures to adhere to the lockdown protocol to counter the spread of coronovirus.
Members of the resident welfare association (RWA) of a highrise apartment complex in Gomti Nagar Extension called an emergency meeting on Tuesday and decided to bar the entry to the building of anyone returning from a foreign visit.
“We are working closely with the district administration and taking measures to prevent any chances of coronavirus infection.
For this the residents have already been asked to remain at home and we are also ensuring that anyone coming from abroad is not allowed into the complex,” said a member of the resident welfare association (RWA).
The resident welfare associations of several other high-rise buildings also took measures in accordance with the lockdown.
“We have closed three of our four gates and stopped entry of all outsiders inside the complex since March 22. The residents of the city have also been asked to walk down to this gate to collect daily commodities,” said Abiram Nayak, senior security officer of a high rise complex in Gomti Nagar extension.
Almost all complexes have also stopped the entry of house helps into the complexes. Majority of the house helps, residents claimed, were given paid leave.
Satendra Kumar, who lives on the 11th floor of his building, in a high-rise apartment complex in
Vibhuti Khand, came down from his house on Tuesday and walked up to the entrance gate to collect vegetables and milk.
“We have a habit of getting everything delivered at our doorstep. But these are not normal times. We all have to contribute even in small ways to fight it,” said Satendra.
An estimated 1000 families live in the apartment building. The residents range from local businessmen, tech employees, doctors and police to government employees.
“The residents are maintaining social distancing on their own. People are working from their home. Those who are employed in emergency services are taking precautions to protect themselves from the infection,” said Abiram Nayak.
The daily supply stores located inside the housing complex have also been closed. The medical stores have been allowed to remain open, he said.
An estimated 50,000 families live in high-rise apartments located across the city. Most of these complexes are located in new parts of the city.
While many of these complexs don’t have a robust resident welfare association but residents are coming together to set up a system to counter the spread of the virus.
At a housing complex in Gomti Nagar the residents have set up a WhatsApp group to stay in touch with each other and share information about basic necessities.
“Earlier no one bothered to know who lived in the nearby flats, but now people are reaching out. They are sharing numbers and helping each other. In our locality every tower has set up a WhatsApp group to share information,” said Shivam Srivastav, a resident of a high-rise complex in Vibhuti Nagar. “People who require something put it on the group and everyone tries to help. In flats where elderly residents live alone we check on them regularly through phone or video calls,” he added.
These novel ideas are helping people to stay indoors and yet help each other in the fight against coronavirus.
Despite these measures, the residents of the high-rise building expressed worry about absence of clarity on the length of lockdown.
“We are helping the administration by abiding with the lockdown. But we are worried about the lockdown duration. People are anxious and worried,” said Peeyush Pal Singh, resident of a high-rise building complex on Faizabad road.
“The government has only given assurance of help but we have not seen any concrete action. We are worried that we will not have enough food or medicine to continue for more than a week.”
Residents also raised concern about their security because the private security guards were being prevented by police to come for duty.
“We have over 60 security guards in the building but only half of them could come today because they are being stopped by the police,” said Shiv Shankar Yadav, manager of a RWA in Gomti Nagar.
When contacted, police officials assured that they will ensure security of every resident in the city and are coming out with a method to allow security guards to report to their duties.