Maharashtra to unlock in 5 phases: What will remain open and what will be closed

The categorisation has been done on the basis of positivity rate and status of occupancy of oxygen beds in the districts, state minister Vijay Wadettiwar said after the meeting.

Maharashtra on Thursday decided to go for a 5-level unlock strategy as the Covid-19 numbers in the state slowly recede. The plan was approved in a meeting of the state disaster management authority, which was chaired by chief minister Uddhav Thackeray.

Maharashtra on Wednesday recorded 15,169 new coronavirus cases and 285 deaths in a span of 24 hours.

The categorisation has been done on the basis of positivity rate and status of occupancy of oxygen beds in the districts, state minister Vijay Wadettiwar said after the meeting. The areas which will come under level 1 (positivity rate less than 5%) will be free from all the restrictions. Around 18 districts will come in this category.

Maharashtra on Wednesday recorded 15,169 new coronavirus cases and 285 deaths in a span of 24 hours, the state health department said. With the addition of 15,169 fresh infections, the state's caseload rose to 57,76,184, while the fatality count increased to 96,751, the department said.

Here's what all will remain open and what will remain closed:

1. Thane, Aurangabad, Bhandara, Buldhana, Chandrapur, Dhule, Gadchiroli, Gondia, Jalgaon, Jalna, Latur, Nagpur, Nanded, Nashik, Parbhani, Wardha, Yavatmal - are the districts that come under level 1 of the plan and will be free from all the lockdown restrictions.
2. State capital Mumbai and some of its suburbs, which have been badly-hit by Covid-19, will come in level 2 of the unlock plan. However, the local train service which is the key mode of transportation, will remain shut for now.
3. Level 2 districts will reopen partially with gyms, salons, beauty parlours functioning at 50% occupancy. Section 144 will remain imposed in districts falling under level 2.