All you need to know about Maharashtra's lockdown-like restriction

With a rapid rise in Covid-19 cases, strict lockdown-type measures have been implemented in the worst-pandemic-affected state of Maharashtra which comes into effect from 8 pm on April 14 till 7 am on May 1. Besides, the night curfew, as earlier, will continue.

Maharashtra on Tuesday reported 60,212 fresh coronavirus positive cases, taking the tally to 35,19,208 while 281 fatalities pushed the toll to 58,526, the state health department said.

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray announced a slew of initiatives to help people, particularly those who depend on hand-to-mouth sustenance.

1. Although essential services and the public transportation system, including Mumbai’s suburban railway, would continue to run, no one would be allowed to move without a valid reason except for people notified under essential services.

2. The chief minister has banned large gatherings outside and has urged people to step outside only if necessary. "Decide if you are helping Corona, or if you're fighting Corona," Thackeray said during his Facebook live broadcast.

Read: Give relief, ramp up health infrastructure: Fadnavis to Uddhav after new curbs

3. Cinema halls, theatres, auditoriums, amusement parks, gyms, sports complexes to be closed. Shooting for films, serial, ads won't be permitted. All shops, malls, shopping centres not performing essential services will also remain closed from 8 pm, April 14 till 7 am on May 1.

4. Essential services include hospitals, medicine shops, public transports, vaccine production spots, vaccine transportation companies and masks production. These will remain open from 7 am to 8 pm.

5. Public transport including local trains and buses will function but will be used only for essential workers and in cases of emergency. People cannot travel unless strictly necessary.

6. Local authorities need to study possible locations for grocery, vegetable and fruits shopping for civilians. They must rule out spots that become densely populated.

7. Banking services ascertained by RBI comes under essential services. Banks, including cooperative, PSU and private-sector banks, non-banking financial corporations. Postal services, port services, stock exchange and intermediaries registered with Sebi, ATMs.

8. Essential services shops to operate while ensuring Covid Appropriate Behavior (CAB) by owners, staff working there at as well as customers in the shop premises.

Also read: Maharashtra imposes Section 144 and night curfew from April 14 till May 1

9. Essential shops owners and person working at all shops have been advised to get vaccinated at the earliest, as per the criteria of the Government of India. All shops are advised to follow safety measures like interaction with customers through transparent glass or other material shields, electronic payment etc.

10. All restaurants and bars will remain closed for in-dining, except for those inside the campus and which form integral parts of hotels. Only home delivery services shall be allowed and there shall be no visiting any restaurant or bar for ordering purposes or pickup.

11. Restaurants and bars inside hotels are to be open only for in-house guests. In no circumstance should outside guests be allowed. For outsiders, they will follow the same restrictions as any other restaurant and bar as mentioned above. Guests of the hotel may move out only for valid reasons or for the performance of duty required for essential services or exceptions made for offices mentioned in the order.

12. Factories with more than 500 workers will have to set up their own quarantine facilities. Such quarantine centres should have all basic facilities and in case of such a facility being set up outside the campus of the industry, the affected persons should be moved to the said facility while ensuring that there is no contact with any other person during the transit.

Read more: Kumbh Mela returnees may exacerbate Covid-19 pandemic: Raut

13. Places of worship will remain closed during the two weeks. Everyone engaged in the service of the place of worship shall continue to
perform their duties though no outside visitor shall be allowed.

14. Schools and colleges will remain closed amid the surge in coronavirus cases.

15. For exams that are being conducted by any board, university or authority outside the state, denial of which may lead to hardships for students residing in Maharashtra may be allowed by the concerned department under intimation to concern disaster management authority.

16. Wedding will be allowed only with a maximum of 25 people present and funerals will be allowed a maximum of 20 people. All the staff at any marriage hall or a funeral have to be vaccinated and till completely vaccinated they have to carry a valid negative RT-PCR/RAT/TruNAT/CBNAAT certificate. In case of violation of rules, the offender will be fined ₹1,000 and a fine of ₹10,000 will be levied on the establishment.

17. Fine of ₹500 to be levied for not wearing masks in public places.

18. Regarding public transport, air services, public buses, train, taxis (including app-based services), autos (driver+2 people), 50% of the capacity of taxis and only seating in buses allowed.

19. All the fines so collected shall be used by the concerned disaster management authority towards better containment and treatment of the Covid-19 disaster.

20. The Maharashtra government will provide 3 kg wheat and 2 kg rice free for the next one month to every poor and needy person in the state while coronavirus-induced restrictions are in place.

Thackeray called upon PM Narendra Modi to provide oxygen to Maharashtra in view of rising cases, saying that the current stock will be exhausted if cases continue to increase. "We cannot afford to get oxygens from other states that are over 1000 km away by road. I request the PM to provide oxygen using airways. Air Force has to be roped in for this," Thackeray said.