Mumbai, May 25 (IANS): In a first, a Maharashtra Housing & Area Development Authority (MHADA) vacant multi-storied building in south Mumbai has been converted into a Covid-19 hospital, an official said here on Monday.

The 22-storey building, a slum rehabilitation project, is located in the MP Mills Compound, Tardeo, in which 70 1-BHK flats have been developed into a 350-bed facility for coronavirus patients.

The project was jointly carried out by the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation, the Anant National University of Gujarat and Habitat for Humanity which transformed the building into a Covid-19 facility in 72 hours.

The first floor of the building will be used for doctors' cabin, donning and doffing room and for other healthcare professionals, while the second to 19th floor will be utilised as the hospital.

Each of the 70 flats have five beds - 2 each in the hall and bedroom, and one in the kitchen, and the modular corrugated cardboard beds and medical boxes have been designed and produced by Dhaval Monani, Director, Affordable Housing at the university.

Director, Centre of Sustainability Miniya Chaterji said that according to their research, around 7.5 per cent constructed buildings in the country are lying vacant and they could be utilised in the battle against Covid-19.

The university has also helped transform Mumbai's St. Xaviers College into a 250-bed Covid-19 hospital, financed and built a 100-bed facility in Kesarbaug, besides a 150-bed facility in Najambaug, both in Dongri.