Maharashtra Extends Existing Lockdown Restrictions Till December 31

The Maharashtra government on Friday, extended the ongoing lockdown in the state till midnight of December 31, 2020.

The state has the highest case count in the country, just north of 1.8 million COVID-19 cases, according to number from the Minister of Health and Family Welfare. Mumbai has reported 2,79,737 cases, according to the BMC.

The government maintains the status quo on rules and regulations to be followed as the state battles ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The government has from time to time allowed resumption of various activities.

On September 30 issued a notification allowed restaurants, hotels and bars to operate with a 50% capacity. These restrictions were to remain in place till October 31 and were further extended to November 30.

Also Read: Mission Begin Again: Maharashtra Allows Restaurants At 50% Capacity

On October 14, in a notification, the Maharashtra government permitted the reopening of metro rail and weddings up to a limited gathering. It also allowed 50% of staff to return to academic institutions and for postgraduate students like PhDs and those studying sciences required to perform experiments or practicals as part of their coursework. This too was enacted till October 31 and extended till November 30. This was inline with central government guidelines.

On November 23, the state imposed travel conditions on persons coming to the state from Delhi NCR, Rajasthan, Goa and Gujarat, making it mandatory that they get a COVID-19 test, atleast 72 to 96 hours prior to their arrival, with the exact bracket depending on their mode of travel. Though there are no restrictions on inter-state travel, persons coming to Maharashtra from the above metioned states, would need to test before traveling by air or rail or get their temperature checked on arrival, and would need to get checked if entering by road.

On Friday, the govermment in a fresh notification, extended all the provisions mentioned in the previous orders till December 31 midnight.

What's allowed to function

1. Religious places, subject to COVID-19 protocols, permitted from November 16 onward, a notification that came just after Diwali
   
2. Restaurants, hotels, bars and food courts with 50% capacity, from the September 30 notification
   
3. Movie theaters with 50% capacity from November 3
   
4. Trains to and from Maharashtra
   
5. Local trains in Pune with adequate prevention
6. Travel in local trains for essential workers, government employees and designated groups in Mumbai such as dabbawalas, lawyers, teachers and women (from 11am to 3pm and 7pm onwards)

BMC Commissioner Iqbal Chahal has indicated that a decision to open local trains for all would be taken after December 15.

The state has also permitted classes for standard 9 - 12 students to function from November 23, according to Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad. There would be alternate days of classes where maths, science and English would be taught and other classes would be held online, with one student per bench. According Gaikwad's tweet from November 23, more than 9000 reopened on day one of the announcement.

The government has also allowed fitness, yoga centres and gyms to operate from November 4. Swimming pools still remain shut except for allowing training of professionals competing at the national and state level.

Today's notification can be read here.