On weekends, only essential services would be allowed to operate in Maharashtra. (FILE)
Maharashtra will impose a weekend lockdown and night curfew beginning Monday as it battles a spike in Covid-19 cases, authorities said Sunday.
India reported 93,249 new daily infections on Sunday, the highest increase since September, with Maharashtra a major contributor.
From Monday night until the end of April, a night curfew will be imposed, gatherings of more than four people banned, and private offices, restaurants, cinemas, swimming pools, bars, places of worship and public places such as beaches shut.
On weekends, only essential services would be allowed to operate.
“While imposing these restrictions, on the one hand, care has been taken not to affect the state’s economic cycle and not to harass the workers and labourers, and emphasis has been laid on closing crowded places,” the state government said in a statement late Sunday.
Public transport services would be allowed to operate, but at 50 percent capacity. Industrial and manufacturing activities in the state, as well as film shoots in Mumbaiwould be allowed to continue if health measures are observed.
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A day after Assam health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma claimed that there is no COVID in the state and hence no need to wear mask now,the health and family welfare department Sunday issued fresh notifications for mandatory testing of air and train passengers coming to the state from Mumbai and Bengaluru to check the spread of virus.
Separate orders have been issued for air and train passengers and the rates for COVID testing by the department’s Principal Secretary Samir Sinha.
The minister had on Saturday said that there is no COVID in Assam and so there is no need to wear a mask now which triggered widespread criticism.
The Maharashtra government on Sunday announced new restrictions including a night curfew in the state and a “strict lockdown” over the weekends from Friday 8 pm to Monday 7 am amid an unprecedented surge in coronavirus cases.
The rules, which come into effect tomorrow, include a curfew from 8 pm to 7 am; a ban on gatherings of five or more throughout the day; malls, restaurants, bars and places of worship will be closed; home delivery and essential services will be allowed.
Industrial operations and construction activity will be allowed. Rules to control crowding in vegetable markets will be introduced.
