At a meeting that was also attended by civic officials, the Mumbai Police on Friday proposed imposing a more stringent lockdown with a rollback of some relaxations - such as calling for closure of non-essential shops again -- in those areas in the northern suburbs of the city where the number of COVID-19 cases have been rising sharply.
To reduce the doubling rate of COVID-19 cases in some pockets of Kandivali, Borivali, Dahisar, Malad and Goregaon where social distancing norms were not being followed properly, the police have tabled a proposal to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to impose a total lockdown in these areas. The BMC will take a call on the proposal after weighing all options.
The proposal was mooted by the police during a meeting held between Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Vinoy Kumar Choubey and other IPS officers from Mumbai Police’s North Region, along with BMC's deputy commissioner V Shankarwar and Assistant Municipal Commissioner of the P-North ward, Sanjog Kabre.
At the review meeting on Friday, a week's extension of a complete lockdown in Appapada and Kokanipada in Malad (E) was discussed, following which a total lockdown in areas with higher doubling rate was also proposed.
Dilip Sawant, Additional Commissioner of Police (North Region) told The Free Press Journal, "There has been an increase in Coronavirus cases, after which a total lockdown was already put in place in Kokanipada and Appapada, and a similar proposal to do the same in Kaju Pada, Samata Nagar and Ketakipada has been tabled. A proposal has been sent to the BMC to impose a similar lockdown in high infection areas across the north region to control the spread of COVID-19. "
A police officer, who did not wish to be named, said the total lockdown proposed entails closure of non-essential shops, and movement of people will be restricted to stepping out to buy essentials only. Other shops like clothing stores or those selling electronic appliances will have to remain shut during the lockdown.
"Residents in the high infection areas will be asked to stay at home and practice social distancing," said Sawant.
In the North Mumbai jurisdiction of the Mumbai Police, a stricter routine has already been put in place, and over 444 people have been booked for violations of norms between June 13 and 18. Police said that over the past six days, over 140 people were booked for not wearing masks, 195 motorcyclists were booked for riding pillion and 109 shops were prosecuted for not complying with social distancing norms.
Moreover, to restrict the movement of people in containment zones, deployment of State Reserve Police Force personnel to assist the Mumbai Police in enforcement has been suggested.
