Omicron: Mumbai police imposes 5 pm to 5 am restrictions

Mumbai Police on Friday issued an order prohibiting people from visiting beaches, open grounds, sea faces, promenades, gardens, parks or similar public places between 5 pm and 5 am daily till January 15 in view of the prevailing coronavirus situation and the emergence of the Omicron variant.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (operations) S Chaitanya issued the order under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), which came into force from 1 pm on Friday and will be effective till January 15, unless withdrawn earlier.

'The city continues to be threatened with COVID-19 pandemic. In light of the increase in cases and emergence of the new Omicron variant, and with a view to prevent danger to human life, health and safety and to curb transmission of the virus, people are prohibited from visiting beaches, open grounds, sea faces, promenades, gardens, parks or similar public places from 5 pm to 5 am next day,' the order said.

In case of marriages, whether in enclosed or open spaces, the maximum number of attendees shall be restricted to 50 persons, the order said.

'In case of any gathering or programme, whether social, cultural, political or religious, whether in enclosed or open to sky spaces, the maximum number of attendees shall be restricted to 50 persons,' it said.

In case of the last rites, only 20 persons will be allowed to remain present.

Those flouting the order will attract punishment under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code in addition to the penal provisions under the Epidemic Diseases Act and the National Disaster Management Act, the DCP said in the order.

The city police's directive came after the Maharashtra government issued fresh guidelines on Thursday night capping the number of attendees at gatherings in open or closed spaces at 50, following a surge in coronavirus cases in the state.

Earlier, not more than 100 persons in enclosed spaces and 250 persons in open spaces were allowed to attend a marriage function or a social, cultural, political and religious gatherings.

Maharashtra on Thursday recorded 5,368 coronavirus cases, a spike of 1,468 cases from a day before. This propelled the state's COVID-19 tally to 66,70,754.

The state reported 198 new cases of the Omicron variant, including 190 in Mumbai alone, taking the tally of cases of this latest coronavirus variant in the state up to 450.