Mumbai: Amid COVID restrictions, only vehicles with colour-coded stickers to be allowed on roads

In order to limit vehicular traffic on Mumbai roads and to allow vehicles related to essential services with more ease, the Mumbai Police has decided to implement a colour code in the city amid COVID-19 restrictions.

These stickers will be provided free of charge by the Mumbai Police and will be used to navigate traffic conditions. These stickers will be provided on all toll points.

In a self-made video, Hemant Nagrale, Mumbai Police Commissioner informed that a self-sticking colour-coded policy will be implemented in three colours- red, green and yellow.

1. A red sticker will be used for vehicles belonging to doctors, medical staff, and transportation of essential medical supplies.

2. Green for vehicles carrying consumable items (fruits, vegetables, dairy products etc).

3. Yellow for essential services including the movement of officials from the government, telephone department, electricity department and the media.

The measure is being taken after complaints that these service vehicles were getting stuck in massive traffic snarls, especially at toll posts entry-exits to the city.

"Now we are limiting vehicle flow on roads in accordance with the government's restrictions. This has resulted in traffic jams and doctors, nurses, medical staff, transport of medical equipment are getting trapped. As a solution to this, we are starting with a policy of self-sticking stickers," Nagrale said.

Nagrale further warned that anybody found violating the rules or misusing the colour-coded stickers would be dealt with strictly and prosecuted under various provisions of the law.

Earlier on Tuesday, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray announced a series of 'strict restrictions' in the state till May 1 including the imposition of Section 144 from Wednesday in view of rising COVID-19 cases.

He, however, refrained from calling it a 'lockdown'. Under the new guidelines, all establishments, public places, activities will remain closed in the state. Only essential services will be exempted, and their operations to be unrestricted. 

Maharashtra on Saturday reported 67,123 fresh coronavirus cases, its highest single-day increase so far, taking the tally to 37,70,707, the state health department said. Besides, 419 deaths due to the pandemic were reported in the state, which pushed the death toll to 59,970.

(With agency inputs)