Maharashtra Lockdown: Train Travel For Fully Vaccinated; Malls May Open | What to Expect

Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope has hinted that the state is mulling easing restrictions in Mumbai and 24 other districts which have reported Covid-19 positivity rates lower than the state’s average. The state may allow businesses to open and fully vaccinated people to travel. A final decision will, however, be taken only by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Tope said before a meeting called by the CM with the state Covid-19 task force.

Tope said in the remaining 11 districts, where the infection rate is high, more restrictions may be imposed. We have discussed introducing more relaxation in 25 districts including Mumbai where the positivity rate is much lower than the state’s average.

Here is what you can expect:

• Relaxation on weekends is likely. Only Sunday will be completely shut.
• Local train travel will be allowed for those who have taken both Covid vaccine doses. At present only those engaged in essential and emergency services are allowed to travel by local trains in the state capital.
• Ease in restrictions in 25 districts
• Cinema halls likely to open
• Shops, hotels, gym timings will be increased beyond 4 pm to 8-9 pm.

But there will be no relaxation in the remaining districts of Pune, Solapur, Sangli, Satara, Kolhapur, Palghar, Raigad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Beed and Ahmednagar where the infection positivity rate is higher than the average, the minister said.

Maharashtra Cabinet Minister and Guardian Minister of Mumbai, Aslam Shaikh, said the Covid-19 task force has submitted its recommendations over relaxations in the state to Thackeray. Those who have taken both doses of the Covid vaccine should be allowed to travel and open their businesses, he said.

Late last month, the Maharashtra government had tightened curbs further following the death of an 80-year-old Ratnagiri resident from Delta plus variant.

According to the new guidelines, level 3 restrictions will continue in administrative units till the district disaster management authority takes a call to withdraw them. The weekly positivity rate and oxygen bed occupancy formula for lifting restrictions will no longer be followed.

Though Mumbai fulfils the criteria of level 1 restrictions (near unlock) based on the positivity rate and oxygen bed occupancy percentage, as per the earlier plan of the Uddhav Thackeray government, the tweaked rules keep it in level three.

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