Traffic snarls at entry and exit points of Mumbai city during peak hours, despite a lockdown being announced, has seen Mumbai police commissioner Hemant Nagrale post a video asking essential services providers to self-tag their vehicles. The self tags have to be a six-inch circular sticker that has to be stuck to the front and back side of the vehicle, and has to be colour coded according to the professions.
With COVID-19 cases increasing at an alarming rate, the state government had imposed strict lockdown from 8 pm on April 14 till the month end, however this did not deter people to step out or to bring their vehicles on roads resulting in crowding and traffic congestion at important places, roads and junctions, forcing the law enforcement authorities to take this step.
Doctors, nurses and others related to the medical profession including medical supplies and equipment have been assigned red colour tags, while greem bas been assigned to food supply vehicles including grocery, milk and others. Yellow color is assigned to vehicles carrying essential activities employees including civic staff, press and other categories allowed by the state government.
"We have decided to color code vehicles to decongest the roads as well as to ensure smooth movement for vehicles,” said Nagrale. People can self tag their vehicles as per their professions, but those who try to misuse will be prosecuted for cheating, added Nagrale.
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had recently asked the city police chief for strict implementation of lockdown, after which the police decided to decongest the roads and started allowing only those marked under the essential services to enter the city. But this resulted in huge traffic congestions at the entry and exit points of the city especially at Dahisar, Mulund and Vashi.
"We were allowing only those vehicles carrying essential staff to enter the city on Saturday. Those without any valid reason were either being penalised or asked to return, which caused traffic congestion," said Somnath Gharge,