Planning to relax more curbs, call on local train travel soon: Maharashtra CM

The Maha-Vikas Aghadi government on August 2 eased Covid-19 restrictions in 25 districts of Maharashtra, including the capital Mumbai, where the rate of infection is lower than the state average.

Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray said on Saturday the state government is planning to bring in more relaxations in the ongoing restrictions imposed to stop the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) but utmost caution is needed at this step. “The Maharashtra government is going to grant more relaxations but we are taking every step cautiously. A decision will be taken for local train passengers as well. We need to ensure that these relaxations do not trigger another wave of Covid-19,” Thackeray said while addressing a function organised by BEST, according to news agency PTI.

Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray. (PTI file photo)

The Maha-Vikas Aghadi government on August 2 eased Covid-19 restrictions in 25 districts of Maharashtra, including the capital Mumbai, where the rate of infection is lower than the state average. Some of these relaxations include allowing essential and non-essential shops to stay open till 8pm and permitting hotels and restaurants to function with 50 per cent of their seating capacity till 4pm. Gyms, spas, yoga centres and salons can now remain open till 8pm with 50 per cent of their capacity and government and private offices can function with full attendance.

There has also been a constant demand for allowing fully vaccinated people to travel on local trains, which is one of the most crucial modes of public transportation in Mumbai.

Thackeray also said that he had met with the representatives of hotels and restaurants, who have demanded relaxation in operation timings beyond 4pm, and that he explained to them curbs will be relaxed step by step.

There are 11 districts in Maharashtra, including Pune, Kolhapur, Satara, Sangli, Solapur, Ratnagiri, where no relaxations have been given as per the August 2 order, since their Covid-19 positivity rate is greater than the state’s average.

There has been growing resentment among shopkeepers and owners of restaurants and hotels of these 11 districts over the continuing restrictions. On Thursday, Thackeray urged such people to exercise restraint. “Like we have given relaxation for shops and establishments, other districts will also get them. But we will keep our responsibilities [towards people] in mind and then provide relaxation,” he said.

Maharashtra has so far recorded 6,341,759 cases due to the coronavirus disease of which 133,717 patients have died and 6,130,137 have recovered.