After Delhi and Bengaluru, Mumbai bans New Year gatherings/revelry

Amid a surge in COVID cases and the growing threat of Omicron spread, Mumbai has banned New Year celebration programmes and gatherings in any closed or open areas in the city.

Earlier, Delhi and Bengaluru banned New Year celebrations.

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal issued an order to this effect on Friday evening.

“There shall be no gathering or celebration of New Year in any closed or open areas under the BMC jurisdiction,” the order said.

The order came into effect from the midnight of December 25 and shall remain in force “till the next directive”.

The order is applicable to all hotels, bars, restaurants as well as to privately-owned places that could be used for such gatherings and celebrations.

On Friday, the Maharashtra government also prohibited gathering of more than five persons in public places between 9 pm and 6 am.

Also read: Omicron: After Bengaluru, Delhi bans Christmas, New Year gatherings

The state recorded 1,410 coronavirus cases and 20 Omicron infections on Friday.

The BMC had also issued a separate order on Friday stating that Mumbai residents arriving here from Dubai will have to undergo seven-day home quarantine.

“The travellers who live in other parts of Maharashtra will be able to leave Mumbai on arrival from Dubai, but their transport will be arranged by the collector,” the order said.

Also read: IIT-Kanpur study suggests COVID third wave in India may peak in early Feb

Besides Maharashtra, Delhi, Karnataka, and Kerala have also imposed COVID-19 restrictions due to the surge in Omicron variant cases.

India has reported 415 cases of Omicron variant of COVID so far, out of which 115 have recovered or migrated, according to the Union Health Ministry’s data updated on Saturday.

(With inputs from Agencies)