Mumbai: The state government has decided to relax restrictions in 25 districts due to a reduction in the number of COVID-19 cases in the state. However, level three rules and regulations will remain in place in 11 districts. Also, a decision on local train service will be taken in two days, said state health minister Rajesh Tope.
Tope told the media that the decision to relax the restrictions was taken by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray in a meeting with the task force on Thursday. The reduction in the number of COVID-19 patients resulted in the relaxation of lockdown restrictions in Delhi, Karnataka. The number of patients in Maharashtra is also declining. As the local demand to ease lockdown restrictions in places where COVID-19 is declining gained momentum, a meeting of the task force and health department was held today under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.
It reviewed the COVID-19 morbidity in the districts. Tope said issues such as Saturday-Sunday lockdowns, private office hours were discussed in it. In 25 districts, COVID-19 cases are lower than the state average. It has been decided to relax all restrictions there. The file will go to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray for approval. The relaxation will be given after issuing a circular in a couple of days, Tope said.
The condition of COVID-19 is critical in 11 districts of the state including Pune, Solapur, Sangli, Satara, Kolhapur, Raigad in Konkan, Sindhudurg, Ratnagiri, Palghar, Beed in Marathwada and Nagar in North Maharashtra. Tope said Corona's restrictions would remain in place in the districts where restrictions are to be relaxed. Instead of being completely closed on Saturdays and Sundays, shops will be allowed to remain open till 4 pm on Saturdays.
There will be instructions to close all transactions on Sundays. Also, if all the employees in private offices have been vaccinated, it has been decided to allow them to start their offices at 50 per cent capacity. No decision has been taken yet on starting local services.
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will discuss the matter with the Railway department. A decision will be taken in a couple of days to open the local railways to the public, Tope said. Marathwada - Parbhani, Latur, Jalna, Nanded, Hingoli, Aurangabad, Osmanabad Vidarbha - Amravati, Gadchiroli, Gondia, Chandrapur, Nagpur, Buldhana, Bhandara. Yavatmal, Wardha, Washim, Hingoli Konkan - Raigad, Thane, Mumbai. North Maharashtra - Jalgaon, Dhule, Nandurbar, Nashik districts are the 25 districts where the lockdown norms will be eased.
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