Lockdown: BMC to allow certain public works from today

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The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has issued a fresh set of directives as per which, it will give relaxation from todayto carry out certain public works during the lockdown, including filling of potholes on roads and laying of water supply lines.

In the directives issued on Sunday, the civic body said that arrangements will be made in each ward office to issue passes for movement of staff and contractual labour for operation of railways, airport, ships and land ports, among other things, from Monday. It, however, also made it clear that no one will be allowed to move in and out of the COVID-19 containment zones declared within the city.

"If any new area is included in the category of a containment zone, the activities allowed in that area till the time it is categorised as a containment zone, will be suspended, except for those as specially permitted under the guidelines of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW), the governments of India and Maharashtra," a BMC official said.

"Arrangements will be made in each ward office to issue passes for movement of staff and contractual labour for operation of railways, airport, air carriers, sea ports, ships, vessels, land ports and ICDs on the basis of authorizations issued by respective designated authorities," it said.

"Apart from many directions applicable to the entire state, there are some exclusive directions for Mumbai. All the directions shall be observed and implemented scrupulously, " it said.

The civic body also highlighted that no industries or industrial establishments will be allowed to operate within the Mumbai municipal limits.

"No worker from a hotspot or containment zone will be permitted to go to workplace in industries or industrial establishments, permitted outside Mumbai," it said.

The civic body further clarified that construction activities of public projects, construction, resurfacing, repairs, pothole filling of roads and bridges, works of laying and repairs of water supply, sewer and stormwater drain lines, construction repairs and pre-monsoon desilting of storm water drains networks, and construction of health infrastructure facilities will be allowed to operate subject to observance of COVID-19 safety guidelines.

It said that the construction activities of private projects, if workers are available at site and none are required to be brought from outside, and if the project in- charge undertakes in writing to observe all COVID-19 safety related standard operating procedures (SOPs), then permission may be granted for the activity on these projects.

Mumbai is one one of the COVID-19 hotspots in the country with nearly 2,800 positive cases and 131 deaths recorded so far.