Maharashtra CM informs temples to open from October 7, on first day of Navratri

In a major relief for devotees, the Maharashtra government on Friday announced the reopening of religious places from October 7, 2021.  All temples across the state will reopen on the first day of Navratri while observing all COVID-19 safety protocols, the Chief Minister's Office informed on Friday. 

The decision comes after incessant calls for the reopening of religious places across the state. The government had been holding back the decision to resume schools and reopen temples to avoid a further surge in Coronavirus cases. Earlier today, Education minister Varsha Gaikwad announced the reopening of schools across Maharashtra from October 4. 

Maharashtra schools to reopen from October 4

Until today, schools were conducting physical classes only in those areas which were reporting relatively fewer COVID-19 cases. From October 4, all the schools in rural areas will resume physical classes for standards 5th to 12th. Moreover, physical classes for standards 8th to 12th would resume everywhere in urban areas. 

Meanwhile, Maharashtra on Friday reported 3,286 new coronavirus cases and 51 deaths which took the state's infection tally to 65,37,843 and death toll to 1,38,776, a health department official said. With 3,933 patients discharged from hospitals, the number of recovered cases rose to 63,57,012.

Maharashtra now has 39,491 active cases. There are 2,58,653 people in-home quarantine and another 1,462 in institutional quarantine. The state's COVID-19 recovery rate stands at 97.23%, while the fatality rate is 2.12%.

Image: PTI