The Buddh International Circuit – host of F1 Indian GP – will be used as a shelter and quarantine zone amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Few months back, the Indian GP promoters and owner of Buddh F1 circuit, Jaypee Group, lost the land where the track was built. It went back to Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA), as they couldn’t pay the dues.
While events still continued to happen but its long-term future is unknown. But for now, YEIDA has been tasked to set-up temporary shelter homes and quarantine zones in the premises of the Buddh F1 circuit – the track and core areas won’t be used, though.
Its surrounding areas has been roped in as well to be used at least until April 14 as the COVID-19 cases rise in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh in India – they may extend if needed. The decision was taken by the district magistrate of Gautam Budh Nagar, BN Singh.
“As per provisions under Chapter 12 of the Uttar Pradesh pandemic Covid-19 guidelines, 2020, we have decided to use Jaypee Sports City, along Yamuna Expressway, as shelter home to provide medical, food and residential accommodation to those, who are from Gautam Budh Nagar district or stuck without homes in our district,” said Singh.
The Buddh F1 circuit was forced to stop hosting the Indian GP after the 2013 season as the dues mounted to a point where Jaypee were unable to pay up the hosting fees, even though they had two more years on their original contract with Bernie Ecclestone.
Situation since then hasn’t improved for the promoters ad debt has risen to an extent where they lost the hold on the land. The Government is rightly utilising the circuit’s premises to set-up temporary homes with basic facilities already there.
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