On September 30, the government of Maharashtra announced, as a part of its staggered reopening programme called 'Mission Begin Again', that hotels, food courts, restaurants and bars would be allowed to operate from October 5 with a 50 per cent capacity, or as prescribed by local authorities. On Saturday, the Directorate of Tourism (Maharashtra) issued Standard Operating Protocols (SOPs) for bars and restaurants across the state, other than in containment zones.

Bars and restaurants have been shut across the state for more than six months now, ever since the Coronavirus pandemic hit the country. Here are the key points from the general protocol that bars and restaurants will have to follow: