Mumbai: Color-coded sticker system for vehicles discontinued
The color-coded sticker system, which was recently introduced by the Mumbai Police to ensure smooth movement of vehicles engaged in emergency and essential services during the ongoing restrictions, has been discontinued, an official said on Saturday. This decision comes in the wake of the state police's move to reintroducing the e-pass system on Friday for inter-state and inter-district movement of vehicles during the curbs.
People expressed displeasure with having two systems
Some people had expressed displeasure that having two systems at the same time - color-coded stickers for Mumbai and e-passes at the state level - would create confusion. "The decision to discontinue the color-coded sticker system for Mumbai was taken on Friday and an order to that effect was issued by Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations) late last night," the official said.
The color-coding system was introduced last week
Police has recently issued prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC in Mumbai as one of the measures to contain the spread of COVID-19. They had introduced the color-coding system for the vehicles last week.
Intention was to avoid unwanted vehicles on roads
While the red sticker was for vehicles carrying doctors, medical staff, and providing medical equipment, the green sticker was for the vehicles engaged in supplying grocery, vegetables, bakery, and food items. Yellow stickers were meant for the employees engaged in essential services, including civic staff, electricity, telephone, press, and all others. The intention was to avoid unwanted vehicles on roads during the prohibitory orders.
E-pass system was re-introduced by police on Thursday
However, with stricter restrictions in place from Thursday night, Maharashtra Director General of Police (DGP) Sanjay Pandey on Friday reintroduced the e-pass system for all the vehicles in emergency and essential services across the state. "The decision to stop the color-coded sticker initiative was conveyed to all police officers in Mumbai," the official added.
Here is what Mumbai Police tweeted
Stricter restrictions to stay in place until May 1
The Maharashtra government announced fresh restrictions to curb the spread of COVID-19 late Wednesday. The new restrictions came into force at 8 pm on Thursday and will remain until 7 am on May 1. Maharashtra is notably India's worst-hit state and it has seen a slew of record spikes in COVID-19 cases over the past few weeks.
Mumbai recorded over 67K fresh COVID-19 cases
Maharashtra recorded a grim 67,013 fresh COVID-19 cases, thus pushing the state tally to 40,94,840 COVID-19 cases. The state has a 23.8% positivity rate. The state has recorded 12,583 COVID-19 deaths so far. Mumbai has a positivity rate of 17.21%
