The Maharashtra government is keen on extending the state-wide lockdown by a week even though COVID-19 cases are continually declining. According to a report on India.com, the state government may start lifting the curbs in a "phased manner" in Maharashtra after extending the lockdown. The state cabinet is all set to hold a meeting today to decide on the lockdown extension. The state at present is considering two propositions – one is phased unlocking from June 7 or June 1.
Reports state that Maharashtra will undergo the process of unlocking in four phases.
The first phase may see the opening of non-essential shops in a staggered manner. However, schools and colleges in the state will remain shut and the Mumbai local trains will resume in the last phase of unlocking.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Maharashtra recorded 24,752 new COVID-19 cases, taking the state's infection tally to 56,50,907, while 453 more fatalities pushed the death toll to 91,341.
Last week, Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray had hinted at lifting the lockdown in the state post-June 1. On April 5, the state government had imposed lockdown-like curbs after cases exponentially surged.
Maharashtra Relief and Rehabilitation Minister Vijay Wadettiwar, on Tuesday, had said that the state government was contemplating easing lockdown-like curbs in districts outside the "red zone" after June 1.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope had said that the government will evaluate the situation in the last week of May and if the positivity rate falls below 10% and the active cases come down, the state may consider easing some restrictions.
