Bureaucrats Blocked Plans To Build Critical Infrastructure In Bengaluru For Combating Covid-19: Deputy CM Ashwath Narayan

Soon after the start of the Covid-19 pandemic the Bengaluru model was hailed by many after the bustling metropolis managed to keep the infection numbers low.

The state government had also made plans to create adequate infrastructure to tackle rising cases.

Yet, four months since the first case, it is only after the state and the capital saw an unprecedented hike in numbers that the government is putting Covid-19 care centres and field hospitals in place.

Deputy Chief Minister Ashwath Narayan has come out to blame the bureaucrats for this delay.

“Bureaucrats were resisting creating additional Covid-19 infrastructure saying that it would be a waste of resources as the numbers were very low for both Karnataka and Bengaluru,” said Narayan, as reported.

Narayan, who is now in-charge of the Covid-19 care centres in the city, said the delay in setting up of infrastructure was because bureaucrats didn't want the government to spend money on a ‘non-contagious disease’.

“Bureaucrats, however, think that we (politicians) are overdoing it and they ask why we are spending so much,” said Narayan, adding that his focus is now on creating facilities on the ground and not letting them stay on papers drafted in boardrooms.

The deputy chief minister also added that a total of 20,000 beds will be made available in Bengaluru by the end of this week. But the pandemic is here to stay and may peak in the months of October-November when winter sets in, said Narayan, as quoted.