The rather confusing colour-coded sticker system, which was recently imposed in Mumbai to facilitate traffic movement on sticker-based priority, has been discontinued, an official stated on Friday. The system was primarily set up to ensure smooth movement of emergency and essential services' vehicles, despite several coronavirus restrictions here.

However, on Friday, the Maharashtra police decided to reintroduce the e-pass system for vehicular movement in Mumbai, as it already governs the rest of the state. This step will ease travellers' discomfort, who until now had to comply with two traffic systems - stickers in Mumbai and e-passes at the state level.

Colour-coded system ends its short term in Mumbai

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The Mumbai Commissioner had launched the colour-coded system last week as a prohibitory measure under Section 144 of the CrPc, as a controlling strategy against the swelling surge of second wave infection. However, an order issued by the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations) late on Friday night, evicted its authority.

This system included the usage of three colour stickers, namely red, green and yellow. While a red colour sticker was used for medical and healthcare officials, a green sticker was assigned to vehicles engaged in providing essential goods such as grocery, vegetables, bakery and other food products. Essential service vehicles, such as civic staff, electricity, press and media, telephone were directed to use a yellow sticker.

The idea was to avoid crowding on roads and prevent unnecessary public movement amidst the unprecedented rise of coronavirus infections but it only added to the confusion. It has to be noted that while the system has been discontinued, stricter restrictions have been enforced here from Thursday night, with the help of e-passes in Mumbai, like in the rest of the state.