Travel restricted in Mumbai, as India’s financial capital witnesses unprecedented Covid-19 surge

The Maharashtra state government has now restricted extensive movement within the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, which has seen an unprecedented spike in COVID-19 cases in the past month. In Mumbai, city police have stopped allowing people to move beyond a 2-km periphery from their homes.

On Monday, while extending lockdown restrictions till July 31 under ‘Mission Begins Again’ initiative, the government has asked people in Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai and other cities to use only neighbourhood markets and barred them from travelling long distance for shopping non-essential items. Violations will invite police action.

Chief secretary Ajoy Mehta issued an order on Monday empowering local authorities to take appropriate measures and enforce necessary restrictions in specified local areas if movement is noticed for non-essential activities. People who can offer a valid purpose like going to work, emergencies and bonafide humanitarian requirements will be allowed unrestricted travel.

The order says the movement of persons for the purposes of non-essential activities like shopping and the outdoor exercises will be restricted within the neighbourhood area with all necessary prescribed mandatory precautions of wearing masks, social distancing and personal hygiene.

All essential shops, e-commerce activity, except malls and market complexes, for essential and non-essential items, all industrial units which are presently operational and home delivery of food will be allowed.