Lonavla police opt for “no entry” rather than fines, as sight-seers flock to hill station

PUNE Massive crowds over the weekend have left the Lonavla rural and city police struggling to ensure Covid norms in the hill stations

PUNE Massive crowds over the weekend have left the Lonavla rural and city police struggling to ensure Covid norms in the hill stations.

HT Image

Police, on Sunday, began preventing people from entering the cities asking them to return from where they came.

Heavy traffic on roads leading into the hill stations resulted in traffic jams in the heart of the cities, as well as on the Mumbai-Pune express highway.

“The rush is so much that we cannot halt one vehicle and inquire. Instead, we are politely telling them to go back as all the sight-seeing spots are not open, as per orders. We are only allowing people who have hotel bookings or have their houses here, to stay. For them as well, sight-seeing is not allowed,” said Dilip Pawar, senior inspector in charge of Lonavla city police station.

On Sunday, when HT visited Lonavla, it faced two traffic jams at separate locations, 30 minutes each. The first was at the Bhagwan Mahavir Swami chowk -- a locality in the heart of the Lonavla, famous for its chikki shops; the second jam was on the road leading toward INS Shivaji.

Among the sight-seers that had got in, no social distancing was followed and most were flouting the mask rule as well.

“The rush is unbearable. Most of them are travelling with families and if they don’t wear masks in their cars we cannot fine them. Individually, they should maintain Covid norms,” said Pavan Tayde, police constable, Lonavla city police.

Currently Lonavla and other rural parts of Pune district are under level 4 of the restrictions as the positivity rate is not below 10%.

As per the norms of level 4, non-essential shops are still closed, and essential shops are permitted to remain open for a limited time.

These levels of restrictions set by the state administration are defined by two factors - positivity rate and the occupancy of oxygen beds.

The positivity rate in Lonavla is 15%. It was 22% on June 4.

“Every day cases are going down. Residents of the city are hoping they will soon see more relaxations,” said Dr Sourabh Gharde, medical officer, urban primary health centre, Lonavla.

For the police, handling the situation is becoming difficult because there are no orders restricting people from entering the city. The order is only for sight-seeing spots to be closed.

“If we receive an order saying no outsider will be allowed, then it will help us to control the tourist movement,” said Satish Panchal, police constable rural police.

Somnath Jadhav, chief executive officer (CEO), Lonavala municipal council, said, “Looking at the situation of the last two days, we will be increasing the number of check posts at the entry and exit point of the hill station.”