On Day 1, seven out of the 68 random people tested outside Dadar station were found positive and isolated; citizens say they are wary of mall visits with drive set to gain momentum
The guidelines for the testing in crowded places had been released on Saturday.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation launched its intensive testing drive on Monday at public places like malls, ST bus depots, markets, etc. On Saturday, the civic body had set a target of 47,000 tests daily. The response on Day One was moderate as there weren’t that many people in the malls, it being a Monday, and those who turned up were not willing to pay. THE G North ward office conducted testing at Senapati Bapat Marg outside Dadar station. People without masks were asked to get tested. Out of 68 citizens and hawkers, seven were positive.
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The testing camp outside Oberoi mall in Goregaon. The malls staff were seen stopping visitors at the entrance. Pic/Satej Shinde
Assistant Municipal Commissioner Kiran Dighavkar said they were isolated in institutional or home quarantine based on their living conditions. At a mall located in the P South ward, tests were conducted randomly; not everyone who visited the mall had to undergo tests. In a mall in R South, many visitors reluctant to pay for the test returned home. Also, not all malls had the testing facility and said it would begin on Tuesday.
L ward, which comprises Kurla and parts of Chembur, has the Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT), an ST depot and two malls and the highest target of 3,200 tests per day. Assistant Municipal Commissioner Manish Valanju said, “We have been conducting antigen tests at LTT for inbound trains since November. There is no resistance there. People at the ST depot also cooperated. But those at malls returned after seeing the antigen test camp.” Around 20 to 25 per cent of the people refuse to get tested.
The health officer of Byculla said, “People at Mumbai Central railway station and ST bus depots are cooperative. We are doing almost 1,000 tests daily since November. We will increase the volume now. There isn’t a mall in E ward, so we have a target of 3,000 tests daily, including at crowded places.”
The BMC has set a target of 47,000 tests daily, with a target of at least 400 tests at each of the 27 malls covered under the drive, 1,000 at railway stations for inbound trains. Currently, around 6,000 rapid antigen tests (RAT) and 17,000 RT-PCR tests are conducted daily. The guidelines for the testing in crowded places had been released on Saturday.
Health workers conduct antigen tests at LTT as part of the intensified testing drive in the city. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi
The RATs, which take around 30 minutes to give the results, will be done without citizens’ consent in crowded places. Those who refuse will face action under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897.
Suresh Kakani, additional municipal commissioner, said, “Because it was the first day, there was resistance and everyone was gauging the response but we will see actual results starting from Tuesday. As it is random testing, not everybody entering a mall will be tested. But in cases where the temperature is high or those who seem to have a cold or cough will have to get tested.” Kakani has also instructed wards to ensure that targets are achieved.
Azra Shaikh, a Malad resident who had visited Inorbit mall on Monday afternoon, said, “We were not asked to do tests. There was a team present at the entrance but after our temperatures were checked and sanitisers were used, we were asked to ensure that the masks are not removed while shopping and we were allowed to go. None of those sitting at the entrance approached us for a test.”
Snehal Joshi, a Borivli East resident, said, “I wanted to visit Growel’s 101 mall for some shopping but after hearing that tests are mandatory, I postponed it. I will decide on whether to go after a few days.”
3,200
The highest daily test target, given to L ward
3,000
Daily test target of E ward (Byculla)
47k
BMC’s daily testing target for Mumbai
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