Amid increasing coronavirus cases, the Maharashtra government on Sunday has directed to implement lockdown next weekend from 8 pm on Friday to 7 am on Monday, informed NCP minister Nawab Malik. The new restrictions also include a night curfew in the state. Night curfew will come into effect from tomorrow from 8 pm to 7 am.
Malik has also informed that night curfew will continue and prohibitory orders issued under section 144 will be forced during the day time during the week.
Gatherings of five or over will be banned throughout the day, only essential services will be permitted. Restaurants only permitted to operate for take-away and parcel services, bars, cinema halls and malls to remain shut. For offices, employees will have to work from home. The detailed SOP will be released soon, informed Maharashtra Minister Aslam Shaik.
The decision has been announced after CM Uddhav Thackeray held a cabinet meeting virtually today, where the authorities and other ministers of the state discussed the covid-19 situation.
Industries and production sector, vegetable markets will function with Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) measure to control crowd will be introduced. Construction sites will operate if there is an accommodation facility for workers, Malik added.
Theatres, drama theatres will be shut, while film and television shootings will be allowed with no crowd. Parks and playgrounds will also be closed, he said. Religious places to remain open and have to follow the SoPs, while the public transport system will function, but at 50% capacity.
Earlier today, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said that Maharashtra is seeing a surge in coronavirus cases as testing is being conducted on a large scale. PM Modi has held a high-level meeting to review the covid situation and the vaccination programme related issues amid the second covid surge.