Maharashtra to open salons and gyms within a week, informs cabinet minister Aslam Sheikh

UPDATE: Salons to open from June 28

Maharashtra minister Vijay Wadettiwar has said that the Cabinet has decided to open saloons in state from June 28. The decision was taken after 12 people related to saloon business committed suicide due to lack of income.

In a major relief to residents in Maharashtra residents, State cabinet minister Aslam Shiekh on Thursday, informed that saloons and gyms are set to be opened within the week across the state, at a cabinet meeting, report sources. Maharashtra is one of the few states which has still kept salons, barbershops closed till date as Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases continue to rise. Maharashtra tops the country's tally with 1,42,900 cases and 6739 fatalities.

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Barbers protest, demand opening of saloons

On June 11,  barbers in Aurangabad district held a protest demanding that the state government allow them to reopen their salons as the COVID-19 crisis and the lockdown has impacted their livelihood. The Maharashtra Nabhik Mahamandal, a state-level association of barbers, warned that if the government fails to grant permission to them by June 15, they would reopen the shops and were ready to face the consequences. NCP's Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule too urged  Maharastra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar that barber shops will be able to take all adequate precautions whilst offering the services.

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Maharashtra's 'Mission Begin Again'

On May 31, Maharashtra issued lockdown guidelines for the new lockdown valid till June 30. In addition to the Centre's guidelines for reopening in phases, Maharashtra has imposed phase-wise reopening of activities in areas of MCGM (Mumbai), Municipal Corporations of Pune, Solapur, Aurangabad, Malegaon, Nashik, Dhule, Jalgaon, Akola, Amravati, and Nagpur. In the rest of the state, all activities are allowed except for the ones mentioned in the prohibited list.

As mentioned in the prohibited activities, Maharashtra government has banned the opening of Cinema halls, gymnasiums, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars and auditoriums, assembly halls - in line with the Centre's guidelines. In addition, Maharashtra has also banned re-opening of Barber Shops, Spas, Saloons, Beauty Parlours and religious places of worship. Maharashtra has also restricted inter-state and intra-state travel unless one has a pass.

Maharashtra issues 'Mission begin again' guidelines for phase-wise reopening till June 30

Maharashtra rules out 'lockdown extension'

Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray has clarified that the state government had not re-announced the lockdown and urged the people to follow the government guideline on safety and precautions against COVID-19. Moreover, the Railways has commenced plying local trains but only for the 'essential employees' - designated state govt employees and private healthcare workers, to take the burden off BEST buses which too have commenced. The state has also capped its COVID-19  tests and testing by collecting samples from home at Rs.2200 and Rs.2800 respectively. 

Maharashtra: NCP leader Supriya Sule urges govt to allow barber shops, salons to reopen