The Mumbai Police have put the brakes on New Year cheer by imposing Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code, prohibiting all types of celebrations in closed or open spaces. The police have already banned the assembly of five or more people at public places from 9 pm to 6 am.
The order restricting the New Year celebrations came into effect at midnight on Thursday and will remain in force till January 7, unless withdrawn earlier. As per the order, the police have prohibited all types of festivities at restaurants, bars, hotels pubs, clubs and resorts. The Mumbai Municipal Corporation had earlier issued a similar order prohibiting celebration, programme, function or gathering in any closed or open space.
Among other places, this order will apply to restaurants, hotels, banquet halls, bars, pubs, orchestras, resorts, clubs. rooftops etc. However, there will be no restrictions on travel and public transport will ply as per current guidelines.
Those found violating the order will be booked under Section 188 (disobeying the order of public servant) of the Indian Penal Code, in addition to penal provisions under the Epidemic Diseases Act and the National Disaster Management Act, said police.
"Weekly offs of all police personnel have been cancelled for December 31 night, and there will also be additional deployment at areas like Marine Drive and 'chowpaties,' where crowds gather in large numbers for revelry; they will make sure there won't be any crowding," said Vishwas Nangre Patil, Joint Commissioner of Police Law and Order.
