Maharashtra govt extends lockdown till June 30, List of what’s allowed and not allowed

The Maharashtra government on Sunday has extended the coronavirus lockdown till June 30. The state government has issued revised guidelines for phase-wise opening and easing of lockdown restrictions.

Maharashtra CM shared the guidelines on Twitter and captioned, “What’s allowed and not allowed in Maharashtra. #MissionBeginAgain”.

What’s allowed & not allowed in Maharashtra #MissionBeginAgain pic.twitter.com/gCbYCpYQGI

— CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) May 31, 2020

Listing the activities allowed in a phase-wise manner, the guidelines said, “In Municipal Corporations of MMR Region including MCGM, Municipal Corporations of Pune, Solapur, Aurangabad, Malegaon, Nashik, Dhule, Jalgaon, Akola, Amravati and Nagpur following activities are additionally permitted with restrictions, in phases as described below except containment zones”.

Here is what’s allowed and not allowed in Maharashtra:

Phase 1:

Outdoor physical activities. Individual physical exercises like cycling, jogging / running / walking shall be permitted on public open spaces including beaches, public/private playgrounds, grounds belonging to societies/institutions, gardens and promenades with following conditions. No activities will be permitted in the indoor portion of the indoor stadium.

1. I) This will be allowed between 5 am to 7 pm.

2) No group activity will be permitted. However, children should be accompanied by an adult.

3) People are advised to stay outdoors only for physical activities for a limited duration.

4) No other activity is permitted.

5) People are permitted to use only nearby/neighbourhood open spaces. Long-distance travel will not be permitted.

6) People are advised to avoid crowded open spaces. People are actively encouraged to use cycling as a form of physical exercise as it automatically ensures social distancing.

Activities related to self-employed people like plumbers, electricians, pest control, and technicians with social distancing norms and usage of masks and sanitization.

Ill. Garages to mend vehicles and workshops with prior appointments.

1. All Government offices (excluding Emergency, health & Medical, treasuries, disaster management, police, NIC, food & Civil Supply, FCI, N.Y.K., Municipal Services who can operate at the levels as per the need) will function at 15 percent strength or minimum 15 employees whichever is more.

Phase II (With Effect from June 5):

All markets, market areas & shops, except malls and market complexes, are allowed to function on PI-P2 basis (shops on one side of the road/lane/passage to be opened on odd dates while shops on the other side on even dates) from 9 am to 5 pm with following conditions.

1. The use of trial rooms in the shops will not be permitted for clothes, apparel, and similar items to prevent the spread of infection. Similarly, exchange policy and return policy will not be permitted.
2. The shopkeepers will be responsible for ensuring social distancing norms in the shops and are encouraged to take measures such as foot markings on the floor, token system, home delivery, etc.
3. People are advised to walk / to use cycles for shopping purposes and to use nearby/neighborhood markets as far as possible. Long-distance travel for nonessential items will not be permitted. The use of motorized vehicles for shopping will be strictly discouraged.
4. If any failure of social distancing is seen, then authorities will immediately close down such shops/markets.
5. Movement of people is allowed in the following manner:

Taxi Cab/aggregator: Only essential I + 2

Rickshaw: Only essential I + 2

Four Wheeler: Only essential 1+ 2

Two-wheeler: Only essential One Rider

Phase III (With Effect from 8th June 2020)

1. All private offices can operate with up to 10 percent strength as per requirement, with remaining persons working from home. However, all the employers will take sensitisation programs to educate the employees to take adequate precautions on returning home so that vulnerable groups especially the elderly is not infected.
2. In the rest of the State except the areas covered in clause 6, all activities, which are not in clause 8 of this order and which are not explicitly prohibited or banned, shall continue to be permitted, with the following conditions.
3. No permission is needed from any govt. authorities for permitted activities.
4. Outdoor portion of Sports complexes and Stadia and other open to sky public spaces will be permitted to remain open for individual exercises; however, spectators and group activities will not be allowed. No activities will be permitted in the indoor portion of the indoor stadium. All physical exercise & activities will be done with social distancing norms.
5. All public and private transport will follow passenger management: 1. Two Wheeler: 1 rider 11. Three Wheeler: 1 + 2 111. Four Wheeler: 1 + 2 d. Intra-district bus service will be allowed with a maximum of 50% capacity per bus with physical distancing and sanitation measures.
6. Inter-district bus service orders will not be permitted. Orders will be separately issued in this regard.
7. All markets/shops will remain open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. If any crowding or failure of social distancing norms is seen, then authorities will immediately close down.
8. The following activities will remain prohibited across the state:

i. Schools, colleges, educational, training, coaching institutions, etc.

ii. International air travel of passengers, except as permitted by MHA.

iii. Metro Rail.

1. Passenger Movement by trains and domestic air travel unless specifically allowed through separate orders and standard operating procedure (SOP)
2. Cinema halls, gymnasiums, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars and auditoriums, assembly halls, and similar places.
3. Social, political, sports/ entertainment, academic/ cultural, religious functions, and large congregations.

vii. Religious places/ places of worship for public

viii. Barber Shops, Spas, Saloons, Beauty Parlours.

1. Shopping Malls, Hotels, Restaurants, and other Hospitality Services.

Maharashtra is the worst hit by the coronavirus pandemic. The number of COVID-19 cases in Aurangabad in Maharashtra on Sunday reached 1,540 as 42 people tested positive for novel coronavirus, an official said. While 976 people have been discharged so far, 70 have died of the infection, leaving the district with 494 active COVID-19 cases.

India also recorded the biggest spike in death toll related to coronavirus infection. At least 265 new deaths were reported in last 24 hours. The total number of fatalities due to COVID-19 infection rose to 4,971. Maharashtra alone accounted for 50% of the total fatalities in India.