Mumbai: Mumbaikars continue to face problem with online registration for COVID-19 vaccination

On Tuesday, only 91 vaccination centres were operational in Mumbai. Of the total, 60 centres were for those above 45 years, 21 centres were for beneficiaries awaiting their second dose, and only 10 centres were available for beneficiaries between age group 18 to 44 years. Senior BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials attributed it to the shortage of vaccines.

Meanwhile, most centres administered the vaccine only to those beneficiaries who had a pre-registration ID. Kiran Dighavkar, assistant municipal commissioner and incharge of G north ward, informed that doses are only being given to citizens above 45 years in his ward. "We have readied our infrastructure to vaccinate the 18 to 44 years age group. Only after we get adequate stock will we be able to start inoculation," Dighavkar said.

Mangala Gomare, executive officer of the Public Health Department (BMC) said, "Till there is an adequate supply of doses across the city, we can't really start inoculation of citizens from all the age groups." Furthermore, she said that centres that are administering dose to the 18 to 44 years age group are doing so in a limited manner.

Meanwhile, citizens, on Tuesday, also found it difficult to get themselves registered on the Co-WIN portal. Taking to Twitter, many Mumbaikars said that slots across several vaccination centres were filled before the stipulated time. “Booking for vaccination centres was supposed to start from 9 pm on Monday. However, we logged in at 8.30 pm and saw that Chunabhatti centre was already booked,” resident Samir Naik said.

Nutan Deshmukh, another Mumbaikar, tweeted that even booking the slot, she didn't get a confirmation message on her phone. "Unless we get the SMS, our booking remains incomplete," said Deshmukh.

Meanwhile, public representatives continued to write to the civic administration to allow walk-in registration for citizens. Amin Patel, deputy leader of Congress and member of the legislative assembly (MLA) of Mumbadevi, said that online registration is only benefiting a selected group of Mumbaikars in his constituency and has urged the civic chief to initiate walk-in registration for citizens. "I would advise BMC to come up with an odd-even plan. On odd days, beneficiaries registration online could be given the jab. On even days, walk-in inoculation could be allowed," said Patel in his letter.