With people still casually stepping out to run and walk on the Lokhandwala road, police are at their wit’s end; will make special banner requesting citizens to stay at home
(From left) Locals have been taking pictures like this of people on the backroad and sending them to the Andheri-Lokhandwala-Oshiwara Citizens’ Association; people on the road on Monday; a cyclist stopped by a cop on Monday. Pics/Gaurav Sarkar
The scenic BMC backroad that runs between mangroves on the one side and high-rises on the other at Lokhandwala, has always been used by local residents for jogging, running, cycling, etc. The problem is, they continue to use it for this, despite the strict curbs implemented to curb COVID-19.
The local police have tried every trick in the book over the past week, to discourage people from stepping out in the mornings and evenings. At the start of last week, barricades were set up on either side of the backroad. When that didn’t dissuade people, the authorities started patrolling every day, around 6 pm — which is the peak time for exercise enthusiasts to hit the streets. The police car, armed with a megaphone, announced that people should not be moving about, and implored residents to go back home. When this, too, had little effect, the Oshiwara police have now decided to put up a special banner to dissuade people.
Speaking to mid-day, Senior Police Inspector Sanjay Bendale from Oshiwara police station said, “The process of making the banner, which states, ‘No walking is allowed here,' is underway. It should be put up early this week. The crowd coming out of their homes to exercise was more at the beginning of last week, but since we have been patrolling and making announcements, it has reduced."
Locals worried too
Karan Jotwani, a founding member of the Andheri-Lokhandwala-Oshiwara Citizens' Association (LOCA), said, “People have been going out for jogging, walking and casual strolls to the backroad. Each day we receive photos from people who live in that area. This same issue persisted at this time last year when police made offenders do squats as punishment…people shared videos of this happening and they had gone viral in our locality.”
He pointed out, “K/West was the first to cross 40,000 infections and has more than 7,500 active cases registered currently. The situation is grim in the Lokhandwala-Oshiwara belt; there are hardly any buildings that are without the BMC banner declaring there are COVID-19 cases. A few of these buildings have also been sealed as mini-containment zones.”
Jotwani added, “I feel there is enough space in people's own societies to walk and exercise; there is no need to come to the backroad and motivate others to break the law.”
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
