'Mumbai might head towards lockdown if Covid-19 norms not followed': Mayor

The increase in the number of Covid-19 cases was reported in Mumbai ten days after the local trains were restarted from February 1.

In the backdrop of increasing Covid-19 cases in Mumbai and Maharashtra, Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar on Tuesday urged the citizens to follow Covid-19 norms. Pednekar said that the city might head again towards a lockdown if the citizens do not follow Covid-19 rules.

A man cycles past a graffiti-covered wall amidst the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on a street in Navi Mumbai. (Francis Mascarenhas/REUTERS)

Pednekar was speaking to reporters at the inauguration of social media accounts for Byculla zoo on Tuesday. The Mayor said that there were deliberations to allow the reopening of schools in the city but the authorities are going to rethink the matter.

After the inauguration, Pednekar said, "An increase in the number of cases is witnessed in the city and, if in this scenario, citizens don't take precautions, we will have to go towards a lockdown. There is no other option left if citizens do not take precautions. Hence, wear masks, sanitise and following social distancing is something that we should continue to follow."

Pednekar added, "Citizens just have to take precautions. Even almost a year after Covid-19 outbreak, I see many citizens not taking precautions. It is because of this carelessness we might have a scenario where the state government might think of another lockdown in the city."

The increase in the number of Covid-19 cases was reported in the city ten days after the local trains, considered to be the lifeline of Mumbai, were restarted for the general public from February 1.

However, the BMC on Monday maintained that it does not have any plans for imposing a lockdown yet. The civic body said that a final decision on further relaxations or lockdown will be taken after a review meeting on February 22. Last week, the BMC also wrote to Mumbai University on how it will monitor the situation till February 22 before allowing colleges to reopen in Mumbai.

Meanwhile, Suresh Kakani, additional municipal commissioner of BMC told HT earlier, "Daily cases have increased and one of the reasons can be local trains. But there are other factors too involved here. One is unlocking, now almost everything has opened up gradually. With unlocking, social mingling has increased, citizens have also stopped practising Covid-19 appropriate behaviour. These are also some factors behind cases increasing."