Covid: Mumbai among 14 Maha districts where theatres, eateries can run at 100% capacity

The Union home ministry on Friday directed states and union territories to consider relaxing Covid curbs for social, sports, entertainment, academic and religious events as well as night curfew hours.

The Maharashtra government on Wednesday further eased pandemic-related restrictions in 14 districts, including Mumbai and Pune, in the wake of a significant fall in coronavirus cases.

Maharashtra government eases Covid-19 related restrictions. (AFP)

As part of the fresh guidelines, restaurants, cinema halls and theatres will function at 100 per cent capacity in these 14 districts – Mumbai city, Mumbai suburban, Pune, Bhandara, Sindhudurg, Nagpur, Raigad, Wardha, Ratnagiri, Satara, Sangli, Gondia, Chandrapur and Kolhapur.

Further, swimming pools, religious places, entertainment parks will also be allowed to function at full capacity in all these districts.

According to a government notification, these are the districts where the first dose of vaccine has been administered to more than 90 per cent of eligible beneficiaries and second to over 70 per cent of them. Also, these districts have a Covid positivity rate of less than 10 per cent, while bed occupancy of oxygen-supported or ICU bed is less than 40 per cent.

“All shopping complexes, cinema halls, restaurants and bars, sports complexes, gyms, spas, swimming pools, religious places, drama theatres (natyagrihas), tourist places, entertainment parks etc are allowed to operate with 100 per cent capacity in these districts,” the notification read.

The state recorded 544 new Covid cases on Wednesday, taking the overall tally to 78,66,924, besides two related deaths. Also, 1007 people were cured during the period, taking the total recoveries to 77,13,575. In Mumbai, 100 new cases were recorded in the same period. No person died in the country’s financial capital on Wednesday.