Explained: Colour-coded stickers for Mumbai vehicles

Mumbai police officers check colour-coded sticker of vehicles at Sion. Pic/Pradeep Dhivar

The Mumbai Police on April 17 announced three 'colour-coded stickers' for all authorised vehicles which are allowed to ply under the current restrictions. This comes amid the Maharshtra government's ‘Break the Chain' initiative, through which the state is putting in place limitations to curb the recent surge in coronavirus infections.

In a statement, Mumbai Police Commissioner Hemant Nagrale said the colour-stickers - red, green and yellow - are being issued for free by local police stations to vehicles falling under the authorised categories. Implemented from 8pm on April 18, this system is will continue till 7am on May 1.

Based on an order tweeted by the Mumbai Police, here's what you need to know about the stickers.

Red-colour sticker: This one is for vehicles related to health and medical services such as ambulances, hospitals, diagnostic centres, clinics, vaccination centres, medical insurance offices, pharmacies, pharmaceutical companies, veterinary services/animal care shelters. Medical manufacturing and distribution units as also their dealers, transport and supply chains are included in this too. Those making and distributing vaccines, sanitizers, masks, medical equipment, their ancillaries, raw material units and support services also qualify for this sticker.

Mumbai Police officials handing out red-colour stickers at Dahisar check naka, on April 18. Pic/Satej Shinde

Green-colour sticker: The green sticker is for vehicles related to the transport of eatables such as groceries, vegetables, fruits, dairy products, bakery products, confectionaries. Vehicles carrying all types of food items - in raw or cooked form - will get this one.

A police officer pastes a green-coloured sticker on a car at Charni Road. Pic/ Bipin Kokate

Yellow-colour sticker: A yellow sticker is available for vehicles involved in transporting officers and staff of central, state and local governments. This includes statutory authorities and organizations, all public essential services by local authorities, public transport too. Press, water supply services, electric and gas supply services, municipal services, services required for maintenance of telecom services, e-commerce (only for the supply of essentials), government and private security services are also eligible for this sticker.

A yellow sticker is available for vehicles involved in transporting officers and staff of central, state and local governments. Pic/Satej Shinde

Further, an official on Monday, April 19, said Mumbai police have created a "green corridor" at all check points and toll plazas for the speedy movement of vehicles of medical services staff with red stickers. "Green Corridor for Vehicles With Red. We understand the urgency of all emergency professions and service seekers. Therefore, there is a dedicated lane for vehicles with red #emergencystickers at every check point on the roads of Mumbai," the police tweeted.

The measure was implemented after there were complaints that these service vehicles were getting caught in massive traffic, especially at toll posts entry-exits to the city. The aim of this step, as officials said, was to discourage all non-authorised vehicles plying on the roads, as some people were even found going for joy-rides, creating traffic hurdles for essential vehicles on roads and highways. Nagrale warned that anybody found misusing the colour-coded stickers would face strict consequences and be prosecuted under various provisions of the law.

On April 18, as many as 68,631 fresh COVID-19 cases and 503 deaths were reported from Maharashtra in the last 24 hours, the highest in the state so far since the pandemic broke out last year.

(With inputs from ANI, IANS and PTI)