From April 26, visitors and retailers will most likely need to show a Covid-19 negative report in order to enter the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC). The civic body has suggested this to the APMC management after a meeting of civic administration and market management held on Tuesday. Since the market supplies essentials in the MMR area, it cannot be closed. However, the NMMC said strict measures can control the crowd in the market complex.
After the COVID pandemic outbreak, APMC was the maximum contributor of COVID cases and the reason was high footfall. The civic body has already set up a permanent testing centre at all five markets namely fruits, vegetables, onion-potato, grain, and spice market.
However, in order to control the crowd at the market complex, the civic body suggested mandatory negative reports to enter the market complex. “Although the wholesale market supplies essential commodities to Mumbai and other surrounding cities, it is not possible to close it. But it has been suggested that retail sales should be stopped completely to follow the COVID norms. Similarly, from next Monday, April 26, it has been suggested to enter the market only after showing the negative testing report,” said a senior civic official.
Meanwhile, as per the instruction from civic chief Abhijit Bangar, senior civic officials made a surprise visit to the market complex along with the Special Vigilance Squad and took action against 61 persons and Rs 20,600 fines collected.
