Maharashtra Covid Curbs: What’s Allowed, What’s Not

Maharashtra imposed more restrictions, including a state-wide curfew, as rising Covid-19 cases put its health infrastructure under pressure.

The state invoked Section 144—that imposes restrictions on movement and gathering of people—for the next 14 days, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said in a broadcast. “Existing curbs over people’s movement will be tightened.”

The additional restrictions will be in effect from 8 p.m. on April 14 to 7 a.m. on May 1.

Thackeray said that curbs were necessary to contain the second wave of Covid. However, he said he would not term the new restrictions as a “lockdown”. “I am not happy about this but we have to increase the restrictions.”

What Will Be Open

• All grocery, vegetable shops, fruit vendors, dairies, bakeries and confectionaries can be open between 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Hospitals, diagnostic centers, vaccination clinics and any manufacturing and distribution related to medical products.
• Veterinary services, animal care shelters and pet food shops.
• Cold storage and warehousing services.
• Public transport including airplanes, trains, taxis, autos and buses.
• Banks, stock exchanges, depositories and clearing corporations.
• Agriculture and other related activities.
• E-commerce, but only for supply of essential goods and services.
• Accredited media.
• Petrol pumps.
• Data centers and IT services supporting critical infrastructure.
• Water, electric and gas supply.
• Postal services.
• Manufacturing units producing raw material for an essential service.
• Government, banking, insurance and pharmaceutical firm offices.
• Only home delivery of food from restaurants and roadside eateries.

What Will Not Be Allowed

• Any movement without valid reasons mentioned above.
• All establishments, public places and activities not specified as essential to remain closed.
• Restaurants and bar to remain closed for in-dining and takeaway.
• Cinema halls, drama theatres and auditoriums to be closed.
• Amusement parks, video game parlours, clubs, swimming pools, gyms and sports complexes to remain shut.
• Shooting for films, serials and adverts will not be allowed.
• All shops, malls and shopping centers not performing essential services to be closed.
• Public places like beaches, gardens and open spaces will remain closed.
• All places of worship, schools and colleges shut.
• Hair salons and beauty parlours will also be not allowed.

Maharashtra has over 5.9 lakh active cases. It has reported more than 50,000 new cases for eight consecutive days. Mumbai alone reported 7,898 new cases, Thackeray said in an address to the state. “We had managed to get control over the Covid situation by December. But now, the battle against Covid has started again.”

Maharashtra is seeing a shortage of medical oxygen, hospital beds and the demand for Remdesivir has also increased, Thackeray said.

Thackeray said despite continuously upgrading health infrastructure, the state is under pressure. He said he will write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting him to provide Indian Air Force assistance for the supply of oxygen from nearby states.

The full order by the state government can be accessed here.

Watch | Uddhav Thackeray addresses the state amid rising cases.