Maharashtra brings blanket curb for weekends: All you need to know about mini lockdown

To fight the rise in cases the state government has decided to impose harsh curbs mdash a night curfew and a blanket lockdown over weekends The new orders named lsquoBreak the Chainrsquo will be in force from Monday April 5 and stay till April 30 The decision was taken at an emergency meeting of the Council of Ministers on SundayPeople crowd outside a wine shop in Dadar on Sunday evening PicAshish RajeOver the past two days Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray interacted with stakeholders to explain to them the dire need for strict curbs and a blanket lockdown on weekends Only essential services will be allowed during the curfew time and a weekend lockdown from Fridays 8 pm to Mondays 7 amThere will also be a curfew from 8 pm to 7 am and the assembly of five or more will be banned throughout the day Cinema halls multiplexes malls swimming pools water parks video parlours sports complexesclubs gyms spas restaurants and bars for dinein will be closed Restaurants and roadside food stalls have been allowed only take away service between 7 am and 8 pm They will have to ensure physical distancing among the lsquowaitingrsquo customers or else face a shutdown Ecommerce activity has been permitted only between 7 am and 8 pm and home delivery staff have been recommended to get vaccinated A violation will invite a penalty of Rs 1000 against the delivery staff and Rs 10000 against the companyGardens beaches and seafronts will be closed between 8 pm and 7 am but the local administration has been empowered to close them during the day in case of crowding Sources said the ban on the assembly of five and more will obviously give police the power to whisk away people during the daytimeExcept for grocery stores medicine shops and vegetable vendors all other shops malls and markets will remain closed till April 30 Shops that are allowed to operate have been asked to vaccinate their employees at the earliest and ensure COVID appropriate behaviour by staff and customersThe 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 stoppedHow will biz be affectedIndustrial units and factories are allowed to operate under COVID protocols Construction contracted by the government will not stop real estate activity will continue provided the workers are given onsite accommodation Realestate developers have been advised against dismissing indisposed workers and pay them the wages for the days they donrsquot work because of COVID19Construction companies are not allowed to transport anything except building material Private offices have been asked to work from home on full strength Banks stocks market life and health insurance companies pharma companies electricitywater supply and telecommunication will work from their office premises Nonessential government offices will work at 50 per cent employee strength Pandemicrelated offices will work at full strength Visitors will not be allowed in government offices Physical meetings are discouraged and online meets preferredAll religious places will remain closed and only caretakers will be allowed inside Schools private coaching classes will not operate Schools will be allowed to open only to conduct the forthcoming board exams Newspaper printing and circulation has been allowed and vendors and delivery staff have been asked to get vaccinated Housing societies with five and more positive patients will be converted into mini containment zones A display board will be put and the entry of outsiders will be barredIn relief for people engaged in essential services and jobs allowed under new guidelines public transport will run However standing commuters are not allowed Private vehicles taxis and autorickshaws have been allowed under restrictions like limited passengersThink of distressed people give financial package BJPOpposition leader Devendra Fadnavis appealed to the state government to think of the welfare of distressed people ldquoThe government should announce a financial package for the peoplerdquo said Fadnavis ldquoWe will always support the govt We have instructed our workers to assist the state machinery in vaccination State must also discuss the new virus mutant and ways must be found to fight it because Irsquom told the mutant affects the lungs very severelyrdquo he said He said cities other than Pune and Mumbai should also get a boost in terms of COVID care and bed strength ldquoDaily wagers farmers poor middle class and small traders should be given financial assistance We havenrsquot politicised the pandemic and we expect ruling parties to stop masking their failure by blaming the Centre every time they face a crisis The government shouldnrsquot expect oneway response from the BJP We have cooperated earlier and will continue to support in the futurerdquo said FadnavisRules on movementgtgt Bus staff must carry COVID ve report be vaccinated from April 10gtgt During weekends private vehicles may ply only in emergencies for essential servicesgtgt Visiting restaurants for takeaways barred during weekendgtgt Election campaign allowed with permission 50 people in enclosed spaces 200 outdoorsBlack day AHARIndian Hotel amp Restaurant Associationrsquos AHAR president Shivanand Shetty said ldquoToday is a black day for the industry as measures to fight the pandemic are turning out to be far more hardhitting than the pandemic The state government has driven in the last nail into the coffin The industry canrsquot survive this time as we cannot pay staff salaries licence fees meet operational expenses etc with mere home delivery and takeawaysrdquo The Federation of Retail Traders Welfare Association FRTWA also condemned the restrictions With inputs from Diwakar Sharma