Documenting Mumbai City During COVID-19 Lockdown

Currently, novel corona virus is a nightmare all across the world. At the end of December month, the Chinese public health officials confirmed the World Health Organization (WHO) that they had an unknown problem. A new virus was causing pneumonia like illness in the Wuhan city. Later, it was named as coronavirus and rapidly spreading through and outside of Wuhan.

Though it’s originated in China, it has spreaded all over the world, including India. Our country took aggressive action at the beginning of the outbreak, shutting down transportation throughout and supending all public gatherings.

Out of all the states, Maharastra is highly affected state from COVID-19. Its capital city has apartment blocks and endless numbers of slums. Though the novel coronavirus gnaws its way around India, Mumbai has suffered the worst. Mumbai is the financial and entertainment capital of the country and the home to international businesses. It stands out a transport hub with dense population.

Over the weeks, Ashesh Shah – a documentary and street photographer in Mumbai has been capturing the liefstyles, streets and tge spread of the novel coronavirus around the city. Here’s what he has seen.

The current surge in infection follows a two and a half month India wide lockdown that started on 25th March. It has severely disrupted both economy and livelihoods.

Most hospitals and health care facilities are overflowing with the sick. Police officers are enforcing people to stay at home curfew. The biggest reason behind the growth of the cases is Mumbai’s dense population.

Social distancing is the ultimate norm you’ve to follow in order to avoid spreading this harsh pandemic. People live eight in a room around miles and miles of informal settlements made of concrete blocks and topped with rusted iron sheets. When the temperature goes toward 100 degrees Fahrenheit, most people can’t stand to be cooped up anymore and spill into the streets across the city.

People are allowed outside only when it’s necessary. In Mumbai, vegetable stands and markets are still crowded. Tensions are increasing a great number between the rich and the poor people. The contagion tightens its grip on Mumbai’s slum areas. Many wealthy residents stay away from slum dwellers.

However, most housing associations in the fancier areas of Mumbai have barred maids, watchmen and casual laborers. Many of them live in the slum areas and they are barred from coming to work.

The monsoons are hitting hard on the city by braining in a deluge of rain and floods. Most out of the work migrant laborers are fleeing the city. They are embarking on journeys of hundreds mile long, hoping to reach far flung villages where they can stay with family.

As the country is learning, the migrant exodus – happening around the country on a large scale with thousands of people on the move is spreading the deadly virus much farther and wider.

Sources from - https://www.photoclickd.com/documenting-mumbai-city-during-covid-19-lockdown/