Maharashtra government extends lockdown till July 31; non-essential travel restricted

In a major development on Monday, the Maharashtra government officially announced that the lockdown would be extended in the entire state till the midnight of July 31. This comes a day after Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray indicated that it was not possible to remove the lockdown post-June 30. Wearing face covers or masks, maintaining social distancing, restricted gatherings, and other measures shall continue to prevail.

The state government has advised that Work from Home should be followed as far as possible. Moreover, the District Collector and the Municipal Commissioners have been authorised to enforce certain restrictions in specified local areas on permitted non-essential activities and the movement of persons to contain the spread of COVID-19. Currently, there are 1,64,626 confirmed novel coronavirus cases in Maharashtra out of which 86,575 patients have been discharged while 7429 fatalities have been reported.

Read: Manipur: Lockdown Extended In State Till July 15; Inter-district Bus Service To Commence

Permissible activities in Mumbai Metropolitan Region, Municipal Corporations of Pune, Solapur, Aurangabad, Nashik, Dhule, Jalgaon, Malegaon, Akola, Amravati, and Nagpur:-

• All essential shops
• All non-essential shops as per the policy of the respective Municipal Corporation. Timing fixed from 9 am to 5 pm
• E-commerce activity for essential as well as non-essential goods
• All industrial units
• All construction sites
• Home delivery restaurants
• All government offices to function with 15% strength or 15 persons, whichever is higher
• Private offices can operate up to 10% strength or 10 persons, whichever is higher
• Movement of people for essential purposes. While a driver and two passengers are allowed in autorickshaws, taxis and private vehicles, only one rider can travel on a two-wheeler
• Activities related to self-employed people
• Garages to mend vehicles and workshops with prior appointments
• Inter-district movement of people within the MMR for essential and office purposes. People are advised to use only nearby markets for shopping. Long-distance travel for non-essential items will not be permitted
• Marriage related gatherings
• Outdoor physical activities
• Printing and distribution of newspapers
• The staff of educational institutions can function for non-teaching purposes
• Barber shops, salons, beauty parlours with conditions

Read: Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation Imposes Lockdown In 10 Containment Zones Till July 5

Permissible activities in the rest of Maharashtra:-

• All activities which are not explicitly banned will be permitted. However, non-essential shops can remain open only from 9 am to 5 pm
• Intra-district bus service with a maximum 50% capacity
• Inter-district movement to be regulated

Read: Maha: Sports Complex To Be Converted Into COVID Care Centre

Read: Coronavirus Live Updates: India's COVID-19 Tally Nears 5.5 Lakh Mark; Death Toll At 16,475