The BMC could borrow a leaf from the Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation's book. The MBMC has been bearing the cost of tests for COVID-19 conducted in private labs. The civic body paid for all 307 suspected cases in the two cities after a decision taken last Saturday. Interestingly, the richest municipal corporation of the country, governing a population in Mumbai which is approximately 15 times more than that of Mira-Bhayandar, only provides 350 free tests a day.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), which has a population of 1.24 crore in its jurisdiction, and an annual budget of R33,441 crore, seems to be struggling to give free tests. Many people have to go to private labs and have paid more than R4,500 for the COVID-19 test, though there is a cap on the cost by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).