The COVID-19-induced lockdown has led to a migrant refugee crisis in India. The situation is so grim that Delhi’s iconic Feroz Shah Kotla turned into a quarantine facility for migrants.

For the last three days, the stadium premises was used to test and house migrant labours from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh before being sent to bus and railway stations to get back home, as per a Hindustan Times report.

See Also: Plan to turn Wankhede Stadium into quarantine facility cancelled by BMC 

On Tuesday (May 19), the ground was also sanitised after about 2000-2500 migrants left for their destinations.

“We have been told that there could be more labour that will housed here in the coming days,” said DDCA joint secretary Rajan Manchanda.

“We were given a notice of 15 minutes by the Delhi government and the Delhi Disaster Management Authority the day before. They brought in beds, everything.

"They were being brought in twice a day. On the first day, we got 10 buses, carrying 500 people in the morning. Again, 10 more came in the evening, returning with the first one. Our entire staff was put on duty – electricians, plumbers etc.”

The DDCA had already told the government about making the place available for quarantine and also contributed Rs 5 lakh to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund, Rs 11 lakh to the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund.

“The SDM had taken note of it on April 10 and put this in the list of places that could be used for contingency,” Manchanda said.

However, the association had kept the dressing rooms and grounds out of bounds for the migrants, giving them space around the nets.

(Inputs from Hindustan Times)