India News | 25-bed Covid Hospital Set Up in Just 24 Hours in Rajasthan's Barmer by Modifying Containers

Jaipur, May 9 (PTI) Amid surging Covid-19 cases, a team of over 100 people set up a 25-bed makeshift hospital in just 24 hours in a nondescript village in Rajasthan's Barmer district by modifying eight bunkhouse containers.

Built entirely with the contribution of Bhamashahs (social workers), the facility at Sambhra village became operational Saturday after Revenue Minister Harish Chaudhary got it inaugurated by the workers who toiled hard to raise it in such a short span of time.

The makeshift hospital has been set up on 15-acre of land allotted free to the HPCL Rajasthan Refinery Limited by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. It has advanced oxygen-supported beds, stretchers, waiting room for staff and family members of patients as well as a small garden.

"The Chief Minister has allotted the land to the HPCL. Now, the facility will be operated by the HPCL and the government," Revenue Minister Harish Chaudhary told PTI, adding the facility was built in 24 hours.

The concept to convert bunkhouse containers, which are like shipping containers, was realised after Lalit Kiri, a known logistics firm businessman in the region, agreed to the proposal moved by the Revenue Minister to develop such a facility at the earliest.

"I and my brother Pawan were a little sceptical to get the task done in 24 hours. But, we accepted the challenge and pushed our expert team of over 100 people to get the task completed,” Kiri said.

"It has given us the confidence and we would be happy if even a single life is saved by our effort," he added.

Kiri said that a lot of big business houses operating in the region have Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds and if the state government gets the tie-up done then they can help in lending their expertise in building such facilities on a non-profit basis.

Kiri's firm contributed about Rs 1 crore to set up the hospital in the village which falls under the Pachpadra tehsil of the district.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)