Attention Mumbaikars! Now Mumbai Police can issue challans for not wearing face mask

The Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh took to his official Twitter account to announce the news and said, "Dear Mumbaikars, Mumbai Police is now authorised to issue challans to offenders not wearing a mask too. Every time we fined you for not wearing a helmet or seatbelt it was always to remind you the value of your life & safety. Same for masks."

File Photo (ANI)

Mumbai: The Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh on Sunday (February 21, 2021) announced that the Mumbai Police can now issue challans to people not wearing a face mask.

Param Bir Singh took to his official Twitter account to announce the news and said, "Dear Mumbaikars, Mumbai Police is now authorised to issue challans to offenders not wearing a mask too. Every time we fined you for not wearing a helmet or seatbelt it was always to remind you the value of your life & safety. Same for masks. Please take care. You matter to us."

Dear Mumbaikars, @MumbaiPolice is now authorised to issue challans to offenders not wearing a mask too. Every time we fined you for not wearing a helmet or seatbelt it was alway to remind you the value of your life & safety. Same for masks. Please take care. You matter to us. — CP Mumbai Police (@CPMumbaiPolice) February 21, 2021

Offenders will have to pay a fine of Rs 200.

Gentle Reminder

No Helmet - Rs 500

No Seatbelt - Rs 500

No Mask - Rs 200

Please take care Mumbai.#FinesToKeepYouFine#SafetyGearsMatter#HelmetIsMust#SeatBeltIsMust#MaskIsMust

— Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) February 21, 2021

This is to be noted that the Maharashtra state has been reporting a surge in COVID-19 confirmed cases over the past few days. In Mumbai, the total number of positive cases has increased to 3.17 lakh, while the active cases rose to 7,276. 

#CoronavirusUpdates
21-Feb; 6:00pm

Discharged Pts. (24 hrs) - 540
Total Recovered Pts. - 2,99,546
Overall Recovery Rate - 94%

Total Active Pts. - 7,276

Doubling Rate - 346 Days
Growth Rate (14 Feb-20 Feb) - 0.20%#NaToCorona — माझी Mumbai, आपली BMC (@mybmc) February 21, 2021

#CoronavirusUpdates
21-Feb, 6:00pm#NaToCorona pic.twitter.com/PFQUkrKJmD — माझी Mumbai, आपली BMC (@mybmc) February 21, 2021

"Almost 90 per cent of the new cases are coming from buildings. Most of them are either asymptomatic or mild and prefer to stay at home, said additional municipal commissioner Suresh Kakani.

Kakani added that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had no plans for a lockdown in Mumbai for now and would instead focus on increased testing and treatment, and strict implementation of face masks in public places.

Updated guidelines issued by Municipal Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal to ensure that we don’t let #COVID19 get the better of Mumbai.#NaToCorona#MissionZero pic.twitter.com/Aq3xAdzdaf — माझी Mumbai, आपली BMC (@mybmc) February 18, 2021

The BMC on Friday had reportedly penalised 13,592 people for not wearing masks in public places and collected Rs 27.18 lakh as a fine. According to the PTI news agency, the BMC has so far penalised more than 15 lakh people across Mumbai and collected Rs 31.7 crore as a fine. 

Officials have also been directed to increase scrutiny and ensure people comply with the face mask rule.

In trains and local stations, a special squad of 300 officials has been formed to check for compliance by commuters.