Maharashtra, the second-most populous state in India, has gone under a 15-day long lockdown-like Janta curfew from now onwards till 7 am on May 1 in view of the alarming rise in coronavirus cases. State Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday announced a slew of restrictions to combat the further spread of Covid-19. At present, Maharashtra has been reporting the highest number of Covid-19 cases for the last few weeks from across the country.
As per the government’s order as part of the ‘Break the Chain’ initiative, no one will be allowed to step out without a valid reason and all establishments and public places will remain shut for the next 15 days. All essential services will be exempted from the restrictions.
Since the lockdown-like curfew was announced in Maharashtra, the residents are concerned about their daily activities like buying vegetables, ration, availability of essential services, house helps, film/TV shoots, etc. Here’s a go-to-guide on basic questions popping up in your mind right now:
What’s Allowed and What’s Not
Public transport will be available only to emergency service providers. Health, pharma, transporters, vaccines producers and animal-related shops will remain open, besides petrol pumps, financial institutions associated with SEBI. Construction work will also continue. Hotels and restaurants will have to remain closed, but take-aways and home deliveries will be allowed.
All the establishments, public places, activities, services shall remain closed.
Worried About Vegetable, Ration Buying?
Mumbai residents can buy vegetables and use other essential services from 7 am to 8 pm on working days but not many can go out together as fresh prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC has been imposed banning assembly of five or more people at one place.
Rules for Mumbai Suburbs
Mira Bhayandar Municipal Commissioner Dilip Dhole met ward officers on Wednesday for an “effective implementation of the ‘break the chain’ initiative”. Dhole asked officers to ensure there is no vegetable and other seller on the streets of the city, on the outskirts of Mumbai suburbs, and if any violation is found, a case should be filed and action taken. He said every society in the city be assigned a vegetable vendor. Vegetable sellers may also be allowed at city grounds and other planned sites from 7am to 11am, while fish markets can also remain open during the same period. He urged citizens to avoid crowding and not come out of their homes every day unless essential.
Will Your Maids Come to Work?
Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal has said that house helps are allowed to work at residences. He further said that detailed guidelines on this would be issued on Wednesday. “Will my house help come, is the question many Mumbaikars have asked from the time the Janata curfew was declared. I have received several calls for this. BMC will issue detailed guidelines on this tomorrow,” Chahal said.
Ensure ‘Strict Implementation’ of Orders
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday asked all district collectors and municipal commissioners to ensure restrictions were being strictly followed. He directed the officials to check jumbo facilities, get fire audits done on priority and understand coronavirus protocols from the Covid task force team. Maharashtra DGP Sanjay Pandey said that home guard will help the state police to crack down on violators of new Covid-19 rules.
Films, TV Shoots on Hold
Under ‘Break the Chain’ initiative, films, TV serials and advertisement shoots will also be halted in Maharashtra. The government order has put a stop to shootings that were underway with precautions like mandatory frequent testing and avoiding scenes with large crowds.
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