A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked states to use lockdown as last resort, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government tweaked the restrictions in Maharashtra to reduce the presence of people in streets and public transport.
The Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress government stayed away from a total lockdown because of stiff opposition by BJP and resistance of the business community.
The new set of guidelines were announced on Wednesday night, a day after the weekly Cabinet meeting in which ministers stressed the need for total lockdown and left the final decision for Thackeray.
According to the notification issued by Chief Secretary Sitaram Kunte, government offices - central, state and local authorities - will work with 15 per cent attendance except those in emergency services directly connected to the management of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Other offices notified earlier will work with 15 per cent of the total of five whichever is higher.
Only government personnel and those in emergency services would be allowed to use local trains, metro and mono services in the Mumbai metropolitan region.
All those engaged in medical services - doctors, nurses, paramedics, lab technicians, clinical staff will be issued passes on basis of identity cards.
Any person needing medical treatment or specially-abled persons can travel in trains.
Municipal and state transport buses will operate at 50 per cent of capacity and no standing passengers.
Marriage ceremonies have to be conducted only as a single event in a single hall not extending beyond two hours with a maximum of 25 people in attendance. Violation will attract a fine of Rs 50,000.
For inter-city and inter-district travel by long-distance trains and buses, the local railway/state transport authorities will ensure screening.
All passengers alighting will be stamped for 14 days of home quarantine.
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