2 clubs, 2 restaurants in Mumbai raided, fined ₹43K by BMC for flouting Covid-19 rules

Cracking the whip on restaurants and nightclubs running till late hours and flouting Covid-19 rules, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) raided two restaurants

Cracking the whip on restaurants and nightclubs running till late hours and flouting Covid-19 rules, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) raided two restaurants and two nightclubs on Sunday night and fined 560 visitors for not wearing masks. The civic body has also issued show-cause notices to the clubs for violating the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, and operating beyond the deadline.

BMC fined nearly 275 people for not wearing masks. (HT Photo)

This comes days after BMC announced that it would carry out random inspections at nightclubs that are not following any safety measures.

Municipal commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal said, “There were gross violations found at Bombay Adda in Bandra last night [Sunday]. Nearly 275 people were fined for not wearing masks. We want to advise and warn citizens that the Covid-19 pandemic is not over yet. We are strongly against imposing a night curfew; however, citizens should not create havoc around Christmas and New Year, which will force us to impose the curfew.”

A first information report (FIR) was registered against Bombay Adda by the BMC for flouting Covid-19 rules. A senior civic official said, “There was no social distancing followed at the Bandra club, and many were not wearing masks. A fine of ₹30,000 was imposed on the club.” Bombay Adda refused to comment of the matter.

The other three establishments fined are located in Dadar, Kandivli and Malad.

A total of ₹43, 200 in fines was collected from all four establishments.

According to the Epidemic Act, more than 50 people are not allowed to gather at any location at a time. The Covid-19 curve of the city started declining since November, and BMC fears that such gatherings could lead to another surge in cases. This is not the first time that the BMC has raided night clubs.

On December 5, BMC raided three nightclubs in Bandra and Lower Parel, after receiving a tip that the clubs were operating past the deadline. Subsequently, around 1,000 people were asked to leave the premises by BMC officials during the raid. Many were also fined by for not wearing masks.