16 staffers of Bombay Gymkhana Club at Fort test positive for coronavirus

The SoBo club has more than 200 employees working in shifts. Pic/Suresh Karketa

At least 16 staffers of the Bombay Gymkhana Club at Fort have tested positive for COVID-19. Sources say that the staffers are from across the board, in charge of different facilities at the elite hub, like grounds staff, sporting staff and others.

The SoBo club has more than 200 employees, some of them stay at the establishment and others commute to the venue, working at the club in shifts. The Bombay Gymkhana will remain shut for at least 10 days beginning April 2. A communication to the members stated that the Managing Committee in its meeting on April 1, decided that the club would re-open after 10 days in a phased manner, and members would be intimated about the same.

President Aga Hussain did not respond to calls seeking confirmation and comment. Chanda Jadhav, assistant municipal commissioner of A ward had said over phone on April 1 that she was in a meeting and would confirm about Bombay Gymkhana's developments later, but she remained inaccessible since then.

Members, though anonymously, confirmed that a section of the club was miffed that certain members and their guests had been "blatantly disregarding COVID-19 protocols by removing their masks for long periods."

One member claimed that several members and their guests did not put on their masks long after they finished eating and drinking. Yet another member stated that in fact the staff was disciplined and followed COVID-19 rules at the club. Some disgruntled members had voiced their displeasure at the club opening up their facilities too soon during the pandemic.

This paper had reported in February about online ire over a proposed Women's Day event, which was to be held in early March at the club. There was some anger too, over the eight guests rule on weekdays and four guests rule on weekends at a time when several clubs have banned guests altogether as a precautionary measure against crowding. The number of guests permitted were then reduced to four and two, respectively.