COVID in Mumbai: ‘Times are hard, everyone is scared for their life’

A deserted ticket booking counter at Mulund station on Friday. Pic/Sameer Markande

As yet another fresh, harsher set of COVID-19-related restrictions hit the state on Thursday evening, Friday dawned with deserted streets across the city. People were seen rushing to buy essentials in the morning and crowds petered out by 11.30 am. In the different directions that mid-day reporters fanned out, most of the city wore a sullen look.

A boy sells stickers meant for vehicles engaged in essential services at Western Express Highway on Friday

Western suburbs

In the western suburbs, the entire stretch of the vegetable market located in Andheri's Four Bungalows was shut; not a single vendor was seen on the road. The fish market adjacent to it did not have any of the usual women fisherfolk going about their business.

Only the stretch near Kokilaben Hospital and Gyan Kendra School had some traffic, with multiple cars having pulled up in the lane next to the hospital and waiting at the signal.

A massive Versova police check post was set up towards Versova-Yari Road near Good Shepherd Church, police were seen enquiring with people who were out. "We are taking note of all the people roaming about without a valid reason," said a cop. A couple of bikes approaching the nakabandi promptly took a U-turn after seeing the cops.

The Versova and Yari Road belt, which has multiple meat markets and vegetable vendors, was empty as well. The stretch near the local mosque was devoid of people.

The Western Express Highway, between Andheri and Bandra, had at least two nakabandis. What did stand out was children selling yellow, red and green essential services stickers to commuters.

Northern suburbs

Suburbs of Dahisar, Borivli, Kandivli were mostly deserted on Friday, with hardly any movement even near junctions or railway stations. Closed shops were one of the major reasons for this. Indicating that the 7 am to 11 am time restriction is working, entire markets, even those for vegetables, were closed. Huge markets such as Borivali's BMC vegetable market outside the station on the western side was closed, too, just like the 2020 lockdown. "From last time's experience, we were under the impression that we would continue in this lockdown, too. But it is very strict. While markets are kept closed, vendors, too, on their own have decided to adhere to the guidelines. The situation is indeed difficult and everyone is caring for their life," said Omprakash Gupta, a vegetable vendor, who was waiting in anticipation of a few customers after closing his stall. With home deliveries allowed, grocery stores kept their shutters half-open. Some citizens took advantage of this fact and finished last-minute shopping.

Eastern suburbs

Roads and markets in the eastern suburbs of Mulund and Ghatkopar remained crowded till around 11.30 am, after which crowds started to decrease. The fish market in Mulund East and West, too, remained open with Friday crowds thronging. "Fish is a fresh catch and we got a smaller stock so that there are no leftovers. We will need to shut it by 11 am," said vendor Manohar Koli.

Tirupathi Dry Fruit vendor in Ghatkopar, whose shop also keeps groceries, said that he had a huge list of home-delivery orders throughout the day. "We have hired one person especially for this. His job is only to go and deliver as per the orders that the shop gets between 11 am and 7 pm. There is no other option. The shop is kept shut," Ramnik Seth said.

Meanwhile, police had barricaded the busy market streets at Mulund, which had been found to be crowded during the last lockdown. The RRT Road, JS Road and station road junctions had been barricaded with bamboos and metal sheets.

11am-7pm
Time during which home deliveries from shops are allowed