Maharashtra lockdown: Govt issues new circular limiting operations of stores & restaurants

A few days after the Maharashtra government imposed 15 days of lockdown, the state government has now issued a fresh circular, curtailing the timings of the grocery shops and other shops. According to the new circular issued by the Maharashtra government, the grocery shops and the other shops will now open between 7 am to 11 am. However, home delivery would be allowed between 7 am to 8 pm

Maharashtra govt issues new circular for 15-days COVID-19 lockdown

The new circular issued by the state government stated, "The local Disaster Management Authorities to include any additional entities/ services as essential under Section (2) of the order dated 13th April 2021 only after the consent of the State Disaster Management Authority. 4."

Stating that all other conditions other than the ones specified in the order will be in accordance with the government order dated April 13, the new circular ready, "Additional clarifications have already been issued by the state government."

Read the full circular here:

Maharashtra 'Break the Chain guidelines' issued on April 19

• State-wide section 144 has been imposed and night curfew from 8 PM to 7 AM
• No one to move in public places without valid reasons, except people in essential services
• All public transport open fully - Autos: driver +2; taxi: driver + 50%, bus: full seating occupancy only
• All offices to work from home except central, state and local govt, co-op, state and Pvt banks, offices of advocates - but no visitors to such offices
• Private vehicles can ply only for emergency, essential services
• All restaurants, bars shut - only home delivery allowed
• All manufacturing units needed for essential services to remain operational with full capacity. Units that cannot stop immediately and cannot restart immediately may continue with a maximum of 50% workforce. Moreover, units providing accommodation to their labour in the same campus or in an isolated campus may continue to work
• Street hawkers to be allowed from 7 AM to 8 PM - but only for takeaways
• Newspapers, magazines can be printed and circulated - only home delivery allowed
• Entertainment places like cine-plex, theatres, Amusement Parks/ Arcades/ Video Game Parlours, water parks, gyms, auditoriums, clubs, swimming pools, sports complexes, shooting for films, beaches, gardens, open spaces all shut
• All shops, malls, shopping centres not performing essential services shut
• All saloons, beauty parlours and Spa would remain closed
• Religious places shut but the staff is allowed to function
• Schools and colleges shut, Pvt coaching classes - Exceptions include students of 10th and 12th, staff
• No religious, social, cultural or political functions allowed. District collectors allowed to give permissions for political gatherings where polls are to be held. Attendees capped at 200 if 50% whichever is less.
• Marriages allowed only with 25 people present - all staff to have COVID-ve certificate
• Funerals allowed with 20 people
• E-commerce allowed delivery of essential goods and services
• Co-operative housing societies - more than 5 cases will be taken as 'micro-containment' areas
• Construction activity allowed on sites where labourers are living onsite

COVID-19 situation in Maharashtra

As India continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic, Maharashtra so far has recorded over 38,98,262 positive cases, out of which, 31,59,240 have successfully recovered and 60,824 have died. As per the latest reports from MoHFW, in the past 24 hours,  58,924 new cases,  52,412 fresh recoveries, 351 deaths have been reported. Currently, the total number of active Coronavirus cases in the country is 6,78,198.

(Image: PTI)