10 March,2022 08:56 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
BMC marshals fine passengers for not wearing masks in Kurla on December 19. Pic/Atul Kamble
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has collected over Rs 72 crore in fine from people for not wearing masks in public in two years of the Covid-19 pandemic.
On March 9, around 2,014 offenders were penalised for not wearing mask in Mumbai of which maximum cases were reported in K East ward (Andheri East) - 277 offenders.
As per the cumulative data reported by the BMC, from April 2020 till March 9, 2022 over Rs 72 crore fine has been collected from over 36 lakh offenders for not wearing a mask in public places. On an average, 215 offenders were penalised per ward per day.
The cumulative data further reveals that Zone 1 wards in South Mumbai areas, that has been reporting less number of cases, has maximum number of offenders (6,52,594) compared to other zones. On March 9 alone, 625 offenders (in wards - A, B, C, D, E) were penalised Rs 200 each. Around 1.25 lakh fine was collected from Zone 1.
Suresh Kakani, additional commissioner BMC, said, "Less number of positive cases indicates that people have started taking precautions in the city. The citizens have learnt to wear mask in crowded places. There are a handful of cases in every ward. The awareness level of wearing mask has been increased in citizens. People who are not found wearing the masks are fined."
He added, "In wards which had maximum cases like Andheri (West) and Andheri (East), we see the number of cases are declining because of vaccination, appropriate checking and institutional quarantine."
On Wednesday, just one person was fined in S ward consisting of Bhandup, Powai, Kanjur Marg, Vikroli areas by the BMC, the data revealed.
The S ward which comes under Zone 6 along with N ward (Ghatkopar East and Ghatkopar West) and T ward (Mulund East and Mulund West), reported to have fined only one person without mask in the entire zone, out of the 2,014 people fined on March 9.
Overall, more than 45 lakh offenders were penalised and over 91 crore fine has been collected in Mumbai by BMC, Railway authorities and Mumbai Police.
