Coronavirus: No mask, no entry into public transport, says BMC to Mumbaikars

The civic corporation in Mumbai on Tuesday announced that people not wearing masks will not be allowed entry inside public transport buses, taxis and rickshaws.

Officials said malls, offices, societies etc will paste 'no mask, no entry' stickers as part of measures taken to increase awareness among people about coronavirus outbreak norms involving face coverings.

The decisions were taken in an e-meeting chaired by Brihanmumbai Municipal Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal, they said.

Ward offices will convey the decision to taxi and autorickshaw unions as well as the management of other establishments, they added.

Chahal also asked civic officials to enforce fines for mask violations, currently Rs 200, strictly.

Between April 1 and September 26, the civic body has fined 14,000 people in the metropolis for not wearing masks in public and collected Rs 52.76 lakh.

BEST general manager Surendrakumar Bagde said the decision would be implemented strictly on the civic-run metropolitan bus service.

Mumbai is the country's premier hotspot with over two lakh COVID-19 cases, with 8,800 people having succumbed to the infection so far.