Only essential stores can stay open in Mumbai

Mumbai A day after the state government relaxed restrictions to allow non-essential shops, including liquor outlets, to open, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation

Mumbai A day after the state government relaxed restrictions to allow non-essential shops, including liquor outlets, to open, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) overruled the order for the city, owing to the huge gathering of crowds outside wine shops, blatantly disregarding social distancing norms.

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Civic commissioner Praveen Pardeshi issued a circular on Tuesday stating only groceries and medical stores will be allowed to stay open.

“There are multiple reports, news in social media and inputs received from the police and the ward officials that due to the relaxation there has been huge crowds gathering near these shops where it has been impossible to maintain social distancing and there were few instances of law and order situation arising out of such crowds gathering at one place,” the circular stated.

“It has been observed that number of positive cases in the city of Mumbai have been rising and the downward trend to set in a gathering of crowds in large numbers without following social distancing will be detrimental to the control of spread of virus and the advantages of the lockdown will be lost due to gathering of people in large numbers,” the circular issued by Pardeshi further read.

The state on Sunday had issued an order allowing non- essential shops, including liquor outlets, to be opened in all zones provided every lane had only five shops in red zones.

But with Mumbai’s coronavirus cases reaching the 10,000-figure, Pardeshi in the circular pointed out the relaxations were likely to deteriorate the conditions further in the city and hence withdrew them.

“Hence, I issue orders to the assistant municipal commissioner of wards that no such permissions for opening of the five shops which are non-essential be given and the police within each ward jurisdictions will ensure compliance of these orders . Only the groceries and medical shops will be allowed to be opened,” added the circular.

Pardeshi’s order overrules state notification issued on Sunday, allowing functioning of non-essential shops (limited to five per lane) as well as the Mumbai collector’s order on Monday that allowed wholesale and retail liquor shops to be opened.

Pardeshi being the civic commissioner, is an empowered officer nominated by the state to overrule orders of the state within the purview of the city.

The corporation was earlier contemplating to draft a policy to the regulate functioning of non-essential shops by limiting certain kinds of shops and introducing odd-even opening slots for them. However, Pardeshi ruled out the policy in favour of a complete ban.

Traders have criticised the move.

Viren Shah, president of Federation of Retail Traders Welfare Association ( FRTWA), said, “Shopkeepers across Mumbai are shocked and confused with the government’s change in stand every other day.There was no issue with opening of non- essential product stores in Mumbai. Queues were noticed outside wine shops and not outside other non-essential stores. So why have other non-essential shops been asked to shut? “

“As of now most of the products in the non-essential category have also become essential commodities. For instance, as most people are at home, they feel the need to buy garments, kitchenware, baby products, toys and indoor games, apart from groceries,” Shah further added.