Housing societies start restricting entry to outsiders

A society in posh Colaba has also disallowed children from using the play area within the society and restricted the movement of residents outside their houses and common passages. The Pali Hill Residents Association has decided to levy a fine of Rs 1,000 if a resident is found without masks in the common areas.

The BMC on Saturday reinforced guidelines to be followed by people at home, public places, workplaces and housing societies. It said that ever since the surge in cases since mid-February, maximum infections are being reported from housing societies.

As per the guidelines, housing societies are to check temperature and oxygen levels of people as well as ensure sanitisation facilities at the society entrance for domestic helps, delivery agents and other visitors. Other instructions include disinfecting vehicles before leaving, parcels to be collected at the society gate, not using waiting rooms as much as possible, avoid crowding as well as using masks and sanitisers among others.

Municipal Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal had on Tuesday appealed to housing society officer-bearers to ensure norms are followed by residents. Following complaints that buildings are not being sealed and residents of high-rises are flouting quarantine rules, Chahal had said: “There is a need for managing committees of housing societies to ensure self-styled sealing.”

He had appealed to the managing committees of multi-storeyed buildings to be equally responsible.