Pune: Relaxing the norms in its fight against COVID-19, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has said that wearing of face masks while travelling with family members in a private vehicle will no longer be mandatory within the boundaries of the city. For passenger vehicles, such as Ola, Uber and two-wheelers, mask will continue to remain mandatory
Pune municipal commissioner Vikram Kumar issued an order regarding the same on Friday.
Wearing a mask is not mandatory for family travelling in four-wheelers in Pune from now. For passenger vehicles (such as OLA, UBER) and two-wheelers mask will still remain mandatory: Pune Mayor Murlidhar Mohol. #Maharashtra pic.twitter.com/G93V6ELSEG
— ANI (@ANI) January 22, 2021
Pune mayor Murlidhar Mohol took to his official Twitter handle to announce the decision. “Wearing a face mask will not be mandatory while travelling with family in a private vehicle. This relaxation will be applicable only within the boundaries of Pune city,” he tweeted.
This relaxation is applicable if all the travellers in the vehicle, including the driver and passengers are from the same family. The order specifies that if the driver or any other passenger in the private vehicle is not a member of the same family, then the mask will be compulsory for all. This relaxation will be applicable only within the limits of Pune city.
A week after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) revoked the order of imposing fine for not wearing masks inside private vehicles, similar demand was gathering momentum in Pune.
The Anti-Helmet Compulsion Action Committee (AHCAC), which has members from various political parties and social activists, had issued a joint statement on Wednesday addressing the PMC commissioner Vikram Kumar, urging him to stop collecting fines from people for not wearing masks in private vehicles. After such a rising public demand the city authorities were mulling the decision.
(With agency inputs)