Enforce total lockdown in Dharavi, local MP tells Maha CM

Mumbai, Apr 7 () Mumbai South Central Lok Sabha MPRahul Shewale on Tuesday urged Maharashtra Chief MinisterUddhav Thackeray to completely lock down Dharavi, one of themost congested urban areas in the world, in order to preventit from emerging as a COVID-19 hotpsot.

The area, a massive maze of shanty colonies, smallscale units and squalor, is part of Shewale's constituency andcurrently has seven coronavirus positive persons.

"If the virus is not contained in Dharavi, then Mumbaiwill be in serious trouble. The spread of coronavirus can bevery fast in Dharavi due to the congestion," the Shiv Sena MPsaid.

"The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation must take overall hospitals and reserve them for COVID-19 patients. TheDharavi Sport Complex must be converted into a quarantinezone. A separate public distribution system must be set up forDharavi to deliver essential items. State reserve police forceshould be stationed to enforce a total lockdown," he added. MRBNM BNM