COVID-19: Night curfew in Maharashtra from Monday, here's what's allowed, what's not

Due to the rising number of Covid-19 cases in Maharashtra, the state government has announced a night curfew to curb the virus spread. Maharashtra will be put under night curfew from 8 pm to 7 am from Monday (April 5).

Addressing a press conferencing after a cabinet meeting, Textiles, Port and Fisheries minister Aslam Shaikh said only essential services will be permitted during the night curfew from 8 pm to 7 am.

Restrictions put in place-

Shaikh said that restaurants and hotels will be allowed to offer takeaway and parcel services only and no dine-in service will be available. For offices, employees will have to work from home, except for insurance, mediclaim, electricity and civic offices.

"Coronavirus cases in Mumbai and Maharashtra are increasing. Several decisions have been taken in the meeting today. Night curfew will be put in place from 8 pm to 7 am. Only essential services will be permitted. Restaurants are permitted only for takeaway and parcel services. Theatres will be closed. The detailed SOP will be released soon," Shaikh said.

This comes after the Maharashtra government held a crucial cabinet meeting on Sunday (April 4, 2021), in which it was decided that there is no need for a state-wide complete lockdown though necessary precautionary measures will be implemented.

The meeting chaired by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray took the decision to impose strict restrictions until April 30.

After the cabinet meeting, Minority Affairs Minister and NCP leader Nawab Malik told reporters that night curfew will continue and prohibitory orders issued under section 144 will be in force during the daytime during the week.

"Government offices will be allowed to function only at 50 percent of their capacity. Industries and production sector, vegetable markets will function with Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) and construction sites will operate if there is an accommodation facility for workers," he said.

Theatres, drama theatres will be shut, while film and television shootings will continue if there is no crowding. 

Parks and playgrounds will also be closed, he said.

Religious places will have to follow the SoPs, Malik said, adding that that public transport system will remain functional.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra registered a rise in cases with 49,447 new cases of infections and 277 deaths in the last 24 hours. The state currently has 4,01,172 active cases of which  9,090 cases have been reported from Mumbai, it has a total of 62,187 active cases.

With the new deaths in the last 24 hours, the COVID death toll has mounted to 55,656 in Maharashtra.