BMC to keep an eye on New Year parties

The civic body will grant permission for Christmas and New Year gatherings this year. Representation pic

With Christmas and New Year parties all set to start in the city, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is gearing up to keep a check on crowds and ensure COVID protocols are followed. The civic body said that about two to four teams would be formed in each of the 24 wards to ensure that people abide by rules at social gatherings and take action against those who don't.

According to the guidelines for reopening the city, closed halls are allowed to accommodate 50 per cent of their total capacity while open spaces are allowed only 25 per cent of their capacity. Last year, the BMC had not granted permission for organising Christmas and New Year parties, but this year they will and keep a close watch on the celebrations too.

"We will form two to four teams at ward levels and they will visit the venues. Action will be taken against organisers and restaurant owners if COVID protocols are violated," said Suresh Kakani, additional commissioner.

110 from celeb homes test negative

The BMC collected and tested swab samples of 110 people from the residences of actors Kareena Kapoor Khan and Amrita Arora, fashion designer Seema Khan and director-producer Karan Johar. As all of them have tested negative, the civic body has removed the seals from the four buildings.

Two days after Kareena tested positive for COVID, her domestic help also contracted the infection. "She is not among those 110 people who were tested. Her report came in on Wednesday. We are keeping a check on the health condition of all the isolated COVID positive people," said an official from H West ward.

Officials from K West ward said that they have tested all the close contacts of actor Sanjeev Kapoor's wife Maheep Kapoor and all of them are COVID negative.