Unlock 4.0 a bane for ‘disciplined areas’ in Mumbai

Mumbai: After the fourth phase of unlocking was initiated, Mumbai reported a daily caseload of 2,000+ thrice this week. Pockets of the city which had lesser number of cases have also shown a sudden rise in the numbers during the ongoing month.

Most of these areas maintained discipline during the earlier lockdown phase, however, post unlocking it became difficult for these areas to remain unaffected as most of the people had started to hit the road.

Mumbai's Dadar and Mahim areas maintained discipline during the lockdown. When cases spiked in the neighbouring Dharavi, these areas had lesser number of cases.

In the last one month, active cases in the Dadar and Mahim areas increased, while Dharavi reported single-digit numbers.

"The market areas of Dadar and Mahim are fully operational now and people are going out and gathering in large numbers which is why there has been a surge," said Assistant Municipal Commissioner, G North ward, Kiran Dighavkar.

Dighavkar said that these areas were completely shut during the lockdown period, but recently they became operational.

A surge has also been recorded in the congested areas of Worli and Mahalaxmi. Nearby areas of Mumbai's Lalbaugh market, which remained shut for five months, have seen a rise in case numbers. Public representatives said that the rise in cases happened following the Ganapati festival.

"People started coming out weeks before the Ganeshotsav. Now almost everything is operational and people are going out for their daily bread this will automatically give a rise in the number of cases," stated Deputy Municipal Commissioner Harshad Kale.

Dongri has the lowest number of active cases. In the last one week, it had recorded nearly 100 cases.

"The cases in Dongri area was low because it's a commercial zone. Now businesses have resumed and shops have started to operate which is why the cases are rising," said local corporator Afreen Shaikh.

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