Crane Management Service Limited, a company that manages all building under Ruparelia Group has fulfilled all the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that were issued by the Ministry of Health and Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) to all city arcade owners before the re-opening of their buildings in order to prevent the spread of covid-19 pandemic.

Unlike other arcades, all the city buildings owned by businessman Sudhir Ruparelia have managed to put in place all the required SOPs ahead of reopening.

According to Prabhat Mishra, the General Manager Crane Management Services, the inspection team for Covid-19 which visited their facilities gave them the highest percentage mark among all the arcades in the downtown Kampala.

“Among the SoPs we have put in place at all our facilities include; The Social Distancing Stickers at every 2meters inside the buildings to avoid overcrowding. All arcade entry and Exit points are clearly marked with placed sanitizers and Hand Wash cans. Our arcades consist of modern toilets for both ladies, men and Person with Disabilities (PDWs) with soap dispensers and hand wash sanitizers,” said Mr Mishra.

“Also all our tenants are briefed with Covid-19 rules of sanitation and we have gone to an extent of distributing 2000 facemasks and hand sanitizers to all our tenants. All our facilities are sanitized 3 times a day.”

Last week, Minister Amongi issued guidelines to arcade owners before the business centres can be reopened.

The guidelines issued include; keeping the premises and access ways clean, hygienic and not blocked, and that corridors and access ways are free of any obstruction, stockpiles and temporarily structures.

The arcade owners and the business people who operate in the business centres were asked to have adequate natural lighting and ventilation in the premises, a dedicated entry and exit point and dedicated persons to man them at all times.

She said there should be a closed Circuit Television Camera-CCTV at each entry, exit and level and a body temperature screening of clients and attendants using functional infrared thermometers. There should be a dedicated isolation room in case they get any suspects.

There should be handwashing facilities, areas of convenience and dust bins. There should also be cleaners dressed in personal protective gear and that there should be adequate detergents to use in cleaning.

All tenants and attendants operating were asked to be registered and that they should wear masks and keep two meters away from their customers. Barriers should be put to ensure distancing.

The Minister said all customers entering the arcades should be wearing masks and maintain a two-meter physical distancing. Management is also required to appoint compliance officers after training them on the guidelines set.