The Mumbai Police on Thursday issued an order banning new year parties in the open and closed spaces till January 7, The Indian Express reported.

The order by Deputy Commissioner of Police (operations) Chaitanya S has been issued under Section 144 (banning gatherings of four or more persons) of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

The police have also said that legal action would be taken against persons who violate orders prohibiting new year celebrations.

Violators would be booked under Section 188 (disobeying an order by a public servant) of the Indian Penal Code, and provisions of the Epidemic Diseases Act and National Disaster Management Act, the order said.

Covid-19 cases have increased sharply in Mumbai in the past week.

On Wednesday, the city reported 2,510 coronavirus cases and one death due to the disease, data from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation showed. This was a 82.2% increase from Tuesday’s count of 1,377 cases.

The Maharashtra government on Wednesday held a meeting with officials from Mumbai’s civic body to review the coronavirus situation in the city. The state’s Health Minister Rajesh Tope said that restrictions may be imposed in Mumbai if the positivity rate crosses 5%.

“[It is] worrying to see the number of active cases increasing in the state,” he said, adding that Mumbai’s positivity rate on Wednesday was 4%.

New curbs in Chennai

The Chennai Police have asked residents not to go to the city’s beaches, including the Marina, Besant Nagar and Neelankarai beaches for new year celebrations, India Today reported. The restriction also applies to other beaches on the East Coast Road.

Access to Kamaraj Road, the Marina Beach road from the war memorial to the Gandhi statue, and the Besant Nagar Beach Road will be restricted the police said.

The police have also banned new year celebrations at resorts, farmhouses, clubs and auditoriums. Hotels and restaurants with boarding facilities will be permitted to remain open only till 11 pm, and the entire staff should be vaccinated.

Chennai on Wednesday recorded 294 new coronavirus cases, The Times of India reported. This was 50% higher than the previous day’s figure of 194 cases.

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu registered 739 new Covid-19 cases, up from 619 cases on Tuesday.