Mumbai: Night curfew is not lockdown, just that more than 5 people cannot gather, says BMC commissioner

26-12-2020

BMC commissioner Iqbal Chahal clarifies that no one will check you if you are on the road post 11:00 pm in Mumbai-Iqbal Chahal says had seen people taking social distancing a bit lightly with parties happening - This isn't a normal year, so the celebrations cannot be normal as well for the year. "I have been re-iterating, night curfew is not a lockdown," says BMC commissioner Iqbal Chahal after the city announced night curfew from 11:00 pm to 06:00 am till January 5. "It is just a preventive move for people to not gather at large numbers during the Christmas and New Year. We had seen instances of people taking it lightly with partying in large numbers without even wearing a mask," says Iqbal Chahal. "You go out with your family on the 31st, go have a nice dinner. Wrap up by 11:00 pm, and no one will be stopping you to be on the road post 11:00 pm as well. Celebrate the new year at home. This is not a normal year, so we can't have normal new year celebrations as well. We celebrated all the festivals this year in a subtle manner and so will this year have to be celebrated," advised Chahal for all the Mumbaikars. On Mumbai's preparations on avoiding the entry of the new coronavirus strain from the UK, he said that the government is very much on its toes to make sure that we don't take it lightly. "We have arranged for quarantine facilities for people from the UK, Middle East. We will be taking their test on the 5th Day as an immediate test might not be reflecting the true picture. We have arranged for over 2000 rooms in 5-star hotels to budget rooms. If you don't have the money, we have a very good facility available at Richardson Crudas which is a centrally air-conditioned facility for people to be quarantined."