Coronavirus: HCA offers Rajiv Gandhi Stadium for setting up isolation centre

In a letter to Telangana CM, HCA secretary R. Vijayanand offered to let the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium for setting up isolation centre for Covid-19 affected patients.

Published : Mar 25, 2020 14:08 IST

Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad is being offered for setting up isolation centre for coronavirus-affected patients

In a move which would also indirectly convey a clear message that there will be no IPL this season, Hyderabad Cricket Association Secretary R. Vijayanand in a letter to the Telangana chief minister K. Chandrasekhara Rao on Wednesday offered to let the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium for setting up isolation centre for the Coronavirus affected patients.

“We feel this is the right time to give back something to the government and the general public in return for all the wonderful support they have been extending to us over the years,” Vijayanand informed Sportstar on Wednesday.

“We have about 40 rooms which can be converted into full-fledged isolation wards and in view of the plenty of parking slot available at the stadium which hosts all major cricketing matches  - international and IPL, we thought it would ideal for these centres,” the HCA Secretary informed.

Read: IPL this summer looks like a distant dream

“This initiative was unanimously backed by the HCA president Mohammad Azharuddin, Apex Council members and all the secretaries of the affiliated clubs,” he said.

“It is an undeniable fact that Telangana has been in the forefront and setting example for others to follow the measures to curb the menace on a war-footing by the way you as the chief minister have been taking the steps setting example for others,” the HCA official said in the letter.

“We deem it is the moral obligation on our part in this hour of crisis to be of some help the government and we will be more than happy if HCA services are sought for any other purpose in battling this dreaded virus,” he concluded.