COVID-19: Blanket night curfew, weekend lockdown to be imposed in Maharashtra

There will be a night curfew from 8 pm to 7 am and assembly of five and more persons will be banned throughout the day

COVID-19: Blanket night curfew, weekend lockdown to be imposed in Maharashtra

Photo for representational purpose

Fighting an exponential rise in COVID-19 cases, the Maharashtra government has decided to impose harsh curbs -- a night curfew and a blanket lockdown over the weekends. The new orders named ‘Break the Chain’ will be in force from Monday, April 5 till April 30.

The decision was taken at an emergency meeting of council of ministers on Sunday. Over the past two days, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray interacted with stakeholders to explain to them the dire need of strict curbs and a blanket lockdown on weekends. Only essential services will be allowed during the curfew and weekend lockdown (between Friday 8 pm and Monday 7 am).

There will be a night curfew from 8 pm to 7 am and assembly of five and more persons will be banned throughout the day. Cinema halls, multiplexes, malls, swimming pools, water parks, video parlours, sport complexes/clubs, gyms, spas, restaurants and bars will be closed. Restaurants and roadside food stalls have been allowed takeaway service between 7 am and 8 pm. They will have to ensure physical distancing by the ‘waiting’ customers or else face shutdown.

Guidelines for containment of COVID-19 #BreakTheChain pic.twitter.com/BLnOTaExc5
— CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) April 4, 2021

E-commerce activity has been permitted between 7 am and 8 pm. The home delivery staff should be vaccinated. The violation will invite a penalty of Rs 1,000 (the delivery staff) and Rs 10,000 (for the company).

Gardens, beaches and seafronts will be closed between 8 pm and 7 am, but local administration has been empowered to close them in case of crowding. Sources said the ban on assembly of five and more will obviously give the police to whisk away people during the daytime.

Except grocery stores, medicine shops and vegetable vendors, all other shops, malls and markets will remain closed till April 30. Shops which are allowed to operate have been asked to vaccinate their employees at the earliest and ensure COVID-19 appropriate behaviour from the staff and customers.

Film industry has been barred from filming scenes involving crowds from April 10 onwards. Agriculture activity, transport of farm produce and raw material will not be stopped.

Keeping in view the economic needs, industrial units and factories will be allowed to operate under COVID protocol. The construction contracted by the government will not stop. The real estate activity will continue provided the workers are provided on-site accommodation. Real estate developers have been advised against dismissing indisposed workers and pay them the wages of the days they don’t work because of illness like COVID-19. Construction companies are not allowed to transport anything except the building material.

Private offices have been asked to work from home on full strength. Banks, stocks market, life and health insurance companies, pharma companies, electricity/water supply and telecommunication will work from their office premises. Non-essential government offices will work at 50 % employee strength. The pandemic-related offices will work full strength. Visitors will not be allowed in government offices. Physical meetings are discouraged and online meets preferred.

All religious places will remain closed to the devotees. The caretakers will be allowed inside. Schools, private coaching classes will be shut. Schools will be allowed to open only for conducting the forthcoming board exams.

Newspaper printing and circulation has been allowed. The vendors and delivery staff have been asked to get vaccinated.

Housing societies with five and more positive patients will be converted into a mini containment zone. A display board will be put and entry of outsiders barred.

In a relief to the people who must go out for providing essential services and the jobs allowed under new guidelines, public transport will run but without commuters in standing and if need be the carrying capacity would be reduced to 50%. Private vehicles, taxis and auto-rickshaws have been allowed under restrictions like limited passengers.

What will be shut

Malls, hotels, restaurants, bars, gyms, salons, spas, swimming pools, movie halls, multiplexes, auditoriums, drama theatres
Religious places, private offices

What will be operational