Pune curfew to start from today; restaurants, bars, malls to be shut for a week

Pune’s Covid-19 cases rose by 9,086 in the last 24 hours, the highest single-day addition in the district so far, taking its tally to 551,508, data showed on Friday.

Authorities in Maharashtra’s Pune, hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, will clamp a 12-hour night curfew from Saturday and shut down bars, hotels and restaurants for the next seven days in the district in an attempt to limit transmission. The administration introduced stricter restrictions on Friday in the district after more than 8,000 Covid-19 cases were reported in the two consecutive days.

Pune divisional commissioner Saurabh Rao said a curfew will be in place across the district from 6pm to 6am. (HT File Photo)

Pune’s Covid-19 cases rose by 9,086 in the last 24 hours, the highest single-day addition in the district so far, taking its tally to 551,508, data showed on Friday. There were 58 fatalities, taking the overall toll to 10,097, and 3,337 coronavirus disease patients were discharged. Pune city accounted for 4,653 of the new cases, and its tally stands at 278,099.

Pune divisional commissioner Saurabh Rao said a curfew will be in place across the district from 6pm to 6am, and malls, cinema halls and places of religious worship will also be shut during this seven-day period. Rao said that essential services have been exempted from the curfew. “These stricter restrictions will be applicable for seven days from Saturday. As part of it, there will be a curfew from 6pm to 6am. Eateries, bars and restaurants will remain closed but home delivery of food will continue," Rao said, according to news agency PTI.

The senior official said that all public gatherings, except weddings and last rite rituals, have been banned in the district. He added that only 50 people will be allowed to attend a wedding and only 20 people can remain present for the last rites. The assembly of more than four people has been prohibited during the day as well.

Rao said buses of the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Ltd (PMPML) will not operate for seven days. Intra-city buses will, however, continue to run for those engaged in essential services. State transport bus service and inter-district travel has been permitted. He also said that schools and colleges will remain closed till April 30. "Only the students of Classes 10 and 12, and the candidates preparing for MPSC exam will be allowed to carry out their regular academic activities," he added.

Coaching classes for competitive examination will be allowed to operate with 50 per cent capacity and the same rule will be applicable to gyms. Swimming pools and clubhouses in societies have been asked to remain shut for now. Gardens will be opened only in the morning. Weekly markets in rural areas of the district and parts of the city have been asked to close but the Market Yard at Gultekdi will be operational.

"The situation in Pune district has been deteriorating. Until last week, Pune’s positivity rate was up to 27 per cent. But this week the positivity rate has reached 32 per cent," Rao said.

Rao said experts have assessed that the district will surpass the 9,000-mark in the next two days if this growth rate does not change. The situation will be reviewed after seven days and further decision will be taken, the official said.

(With agency inputs)