The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has collected more than Rs 72 crore in fines from persons who failed to wear masks in public locations. On March 9, 2022, alone, 625 violators were fined Rs 200 each.
During the two-year Covid-19 pandemic, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) collected nearly Rs 72 crore in fines from persons who did not wear masks in public.
On March 9, 2022, about 2,014 offenders were penalised in Mumbai for not wearing a mask, with the highest number of incidents reported in the K East ward (Andheri East) – 277 offenders.
According to the BMC’s cumulative data, from April 2020 to March 9, 2022, over Rs 72 crore in fines was collected from over 36 lakh offenders for not wearing a mask in public areas. On a daily basis, 215 convicts were sentenced each ward.
The cumulative data also reveals that Zone 1 wards in South Mumbai areas, which have reported less instances, have the highest number of offenders (6,52,594) when compared to other zones. On March 9, alone, 625 offenders (from Wards A, B, C, D, and E) were fined Rs 200 apiece. Zone 1 collected approximately 1.25 lakh in fines.
Suresh Kakani, BMC’s assistant commissioner, stated, “The lower number of positive cases suggests that residents in the city have begun to take precautions. In congested situations, citizens have learned to wear masks. Each ward has a small number of instances.Citizens’ knowledge of the dangers of wearing masks has grown. Individuals who are not wearing the masks are punished.”
He added, “We notice the number of cases dropping in wards that had the most cases, such Andheri (West) and Andheri (East), because of vaccination, appropriate checking, and institutional quarantine.”
According to the data, the BMC penalised only one individual in S ward, which includes Bhandup, Powai, Kanjur Marg, and Vikroli, on March 9, 2022.
The S ward, which is part of Zone 6, together with the N ward (Ghatkopar East and Ghatkopar West) and the T ward (Mulund East and Mulund West), was reported to have penalised only one person without a mask in the entire zone on March 9, 2022, out of the 2,014 persons fined.
Over 45 lakh offenders were penalised in all, with the BMC, Railway officials, and Mumbai Police collecting over 91 crore in fines.
