Unlock 1.0: Mumbai witnesses huge traffic jam and violation of social distancing norms

Mumbai has unleashed its semi-normal self with thousands of masked men and women stepping out with their vehicles headed to their workplaces, creating traffic snarls at many locations, as the city eases in the Lockdown 5.0 mode, here on Monday. 

Within Maharashtra, Mumbai alone accounted for nearly 57 per cent or 48,774 of the total cases confirmed in the state followed by Thane at a distant second with 13,014 cases.

With rising number of cases in the city long queues of crawling vehicles were witnessed on the Eastern Express Highway, Western Express Highway, Eastern Freeway, main roads in the city and suburbs, besides inter-district roads, as people rushed to their offices, shops or commercial establishments.

The offices were shut in Mumbai region because of the lockdown restrictions, which were enforced since mid-March to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease.

The BEST and Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) deployed a limited number of public buses which led to long queues of commuters waiting for long to catch a bus at bus-stops or depots, particularly in the suburbs. Long queues of office-goers could be seen at BEST bus stops amid concerns over the violation of social distancing norms.

Violation of social distancing norms increases the fear of rise in the COVID-19 cases. Mumbai is already one of the worst affected city in the country with maximum cases. If people continue to violate norms then cases will surely rise in the future. 

Suburban trains, Mumbai’s lifeline, are yet to resume their operations due to the pandemic.