Maharashtra Covid-19 Lockdown Rules: Here’s what’s allowed and what’s not from today to April 30

Amid the continuous rise in the number of COVID-19 cases, the Maharashtra government has announced night curfew during weekdays and lockdown during the weekend to curb the spread of the coronavirus. The night curfew in the state will be effective from 8 pm to 7 am from Monday i.e. April 5 to April 30. The state government has termed the new restrictions ‘Break the Chain.’ The campaign launched by the state government last year was termed ‘Mission Begin Again.’ The Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said in a statement that prohibitory orders will also be in force during the daytime on weekdays.

A minister of the state government said that only essential services will be allowed during the night curfew that comes into effect from April 5.

A decision in this regard was taken during the high-level meeting of the council of ministers chaired by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday. Thackeray had chaired the meeting through video-conferencing.

The state government said that new restrictions and weekend lockdowns have been imposed by keeping in mind that they will not hurt the livelihood of people and the economic cycle. CM Uddhav Thackeray also said that he spoke to all the stakeholders regarding new restrictions and sought their cooperation in the strict implementation of the curbs.

Maharashtra Lockdown: All you need to know about what’s allowed and what’s not

• Except for the essential services shops- like medical and grocery, all other shops will remain closed during the night restriction and weekend lockdown.
• Shopping malls and Markets and will remain closed on weekends and during the night curfew.
• All private offices will be shut as part of these restrictions. Those who have been given exemptions are banking, pharma, insurance, telecommunication stock market, and mediclaim offices.
• Private offices have been asked to give mandatory work from home, except those in electricity, water supply, and local disaster management.
• Government offices will function at 50 per cent of their capacity. Those departments involved in COVID-19 management have been exempted.
• All meetings of the state government will be held online and visitors will be barred in offices.
• No more than five persons will be allowed to gather at one place as Section 144 of the CrPC will be in place even during the daytime.
• Gardens, beaches, and all other public places will remain closed for the public from 8 pm to 7 am.
• Public transport will ferry at 50 per cent of their capacity. No standing passengers will be allowed in both private and public busses.
• All educational institutes – schools, colleges, and private coaching classes – will be closed.
• Exams for class 10 and class 12 will continue as per the announced schedule.
• Places of entertainment like cinema halls, multiplexes, theatres, video parlours, clubs, sports complexes, swimming pools, water parks auditoriums, will remain shut.
• Religious places will remain closed for devotees, religious rituals there will continue.
• Restaurants and roadside eateries will only provide take-away and parcel services.
• Salons, beauty parlours will remain closed.
• Newspaper printing and distribution will continue.
• The government has also allowed all agriculture-related activities.