For those among us who think the dangers of the novel coronavirus outbreak are in the past, the Mumbai Police has a message. As per an official statement, vehicles are not allowed to wander out of a two kilometre radius of their residence, unless it is for essential services, or the person is travelling to go to their workplace.
"Movement beyond 2 Km is permitted only for attending office or medical emergencies," the Police guidelines said, adding that vehicles that were found plying away from their local areas without a valid reason would be "compulsorily impounded".
This came into effect as people have now begun violating norms and travelling to public places such as the beaches and promenades. As the CP of Mumbai police put it in a Twitter post, if you decide to drive around for fun, "we know a spot for your car".
As Maharashtra begins a phased unlocking, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has announced that further relaxations may be forthcoming.
However, it must be kept in mind that Mumbai is one of the cities worst affected by the novel coronavirus -- with a case tally higher than that of most states. Against this backdrop, the Mumbai Police on Sunday evening released a set of guidelines urging people to "act responsibly".
As per the guidelines, outdoor movement should be undertaken only for essential activities and social distancing and wearing a mask is compulsory.
All travelling should be restricted to a two kilometer radius, unless it was for work
"Visit to markets, salons, barber shops etc. shall be restricted to those within a radius of two km from residence only. Movement outside this radius for shopping etc. is strictly prohibited. Similarly, outdoor movement for the purpose of exercise is strictly restricted to open spaces within a radius of two km from place of residence," the guidelines clarified.
There is at present a nighttime curfew in the city, and the Police note adds that no movement, except for essential activities, would be allowed between 9:00 pm and 5:00 am.
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