Mumbai Police discontinues the colour-coded sticker system for vehicles

Mumbai Police check identification papers of motorists during restrictions imposed by state government amidst rising coronavirus cases. Pic/AFP

The colour-coded sticker system, which was recently introduced by the Mumbai police to ensure smooth movement of vehicles engaged in emergency and essential services during the ongoing restrictions, has been discontinued, an official said on Saturday.

This decision comes in the wake of the state police's move of reintroducing e-pass system on Friday for inter-state and inter-district movement of vehicles during the curbs.

Some people had expressed displeasure that having two systems at the same time - colour-coded stickers for Mumbai and e-passes at state level - would create confusion.

"The decision to discontinue the colour-coded sticker system for Mumbai was taken on Friday and an order to that effect was issued by Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations) late last night," the official said.

Police have recently issued prohibitory orders under section 144 of the CrPC in Mumbai as one of the measures to contain the spread of COVID-19.

They had introduced the colour coding system for the vehicles last week.

While the red colour sticker was for vehicles carrying doctors, medical staff and providing medical equipments, the green sticker was for the vehicles engaged in supplying grocery, vegetables, bakery and food items.

Yellow stickers were meant for the employees engaged in essential services, including civic staff, electricity, telephone, press and all others.

The intention was to avoid unwanted vehicles on roads during the prohibitory orders, the official said.

However, with stricter restrictions in place from Thursday night, Maharashtra Director General of Police (DGP) Sanjay Pandey on Friday reintroduced the e-pass system for all the vehicles in emergency and essential services across the state.

The decision to stop the color-coded sticker initiative was conveyed to all police officers in Mumbai, the official added.

Taking to Twitter, the city police said, "Dear Mumbaikars. The red, yellow, green #EmergencyStickers categorisation is being discontinued. However, thorough checks shall continue & we hope you will stand by us in #TakingOnCorona & avoid all non-essential/non-emergency movement outside home #StayHomeStaySafe."