MUMBAI: As the Covid-19 is entering in India through the passengers arriving by flights from abroad, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) decided to make quarantine facility available to them near the airport, at star hotels. The BMC had already talked with some hotel authorities and they are also ready to provide the same.

The BMC decided this after the State government added Dubai, Saudi Arabia and the US to the list of countries from where all passengers arriving by flight will compulsorily be quarantined for 14 days. Civic officials was asked to talk with managements of star hotels in the vicinity of the international airport to acquire about 2,500 rooms at negotiated rates, to turn them into quarantine facilities for visitors from abroad. The BMC has asked these hotels to set aside rooms at half the usual room tariff, so that incoming passengers can opt to pay and stay in them, even after an initial compulsory quarantine of 24 hours.

The Mirage Hotel, Mumbai and ITC Hotel, Mumbai, had already agreed to make available rooms for the cause. At Mirage Hotel, 26 suspected people were quarantined on the first day.