Mumbai, May 4 (IANS): The BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Tuesday launched Maharashtra's first 'drive-in' vaccination centre at the multi-storey Kohinoor Parking Lot near the Shivaji Park in Dadar.

The drive-in facility is for senior citizens, specially-abled, expectant mothers and other citizens who are not able to wait in queues at vaccination centres, said a civic official.

The facility has a capacity to give the jabs to around 5,000 people per day in seven booths, of which two have are kept aside for the drive-ins, and has proved to be an instant hit.

More than 200 people drove down to the drive-in vaccination centre on Tuesday, got their jabs, and waited the mandatory 30 minutes in their vehicles before driving out.

"Drive In facility for 45+ specially-abled. BMC G-North Ward has started a new vaccination centre at Kohinoor Parking Lot for citizens coming for their 2nd dose of Covid vaccine," the BMC said in a statement.

Two local BMC Corporators Vishakha Raut and Preeti Patankar, both of the ruling Shiv Sena, had demanded such a facility for the people in both their wards - Shivaji Park and Dadar - after the BMC decided to start vaccination centres in each corporators' ward for public convenience.

For the ongoing vaccination, those using it would pay the regular parking charges of Rs 60/hour but avail a hassle-free jab in the safety and comfort of their own vehicles as per the Covid-19 protocols, said the official.

Interestingly, last year, the Kohinoor Parking Lot was utilised for conducting mass RT-PCR tests and proved immensely popular as it afforded physical distancing, adequate ventilation and accommodate a large number of people simultaneously.