State health minister Rajesh Tope said the issue was discussed at the state Cabinet meeting and all ministers agreed that the lockdown should be extended. However, a decision on the number of days will be taken by April 30
The Covid-19 lockdown is likely to be extended in Maharashtra for another 15 days until May 15 as the state Cabinet has taken an in-principle decision in this regard.
A deserted Bandra-Worli Sealink during lockdown, in Mumbai on April 21. (HT file)
“The issue of extending the lockdown was discussed at the state Cabinet meeting and all the ministers unanimously said that it should be extended to break the transmission chain. It is likely to be extended for 15 days. Decision on the number of days will be taken by April 30,” health minister Rajesh Tope told reporters after the meeting held on Wednesday.
Tope said the lockdown, which was imposed as the fresh Covid-19 wave has overwhelmed hospitals, has helped. “Lockdown has brought stability in cases to some extent as there were concerns that the daily figures may cross the 70,000-mark which is not happening as of now. The daily cases are hovering around the 60,000-mark. We are hoping that this was the peak in cases in the state and the daily cases will start declining in the next few days.”
On April 22, the state government imposed the complete lockdown across Maharashtra amid a surge in Covid-19 cases. A partial lockdown was imposed earlier on April 14. The ongoing lockdown is due to end on May 1.
Faisal Malik is a senior journalist with over two and a half decades of experience covering Maharashtra’s politics, governance and public policy with a deep understanding of the state’s political landscape. He is a Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times and has been associated with its Mumbai edition for more than a decade. Based in Mumbai, Faisal currently covers three major political parties in Maharashtra — Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and NCP (Sharad Pawar). Over the years, he has extensively reported on major political developments, combining investigative insights with in-depth field reporting. His coverage has spanned a wide range of issues, from drought, farmer suicides, major development projects and grassroots challenges to major electoral battles, including three Lok Sabha and Maharashtra Assembly elections — 2014, 2019 and 2024. Before joining Hindustan Times, he worked with ‘The Asian Age’ and ‘Dainik Bhaskar’. An avid tea enthusiast, he enjoys reading history, Urdu literature and classical poetry. When away from the newsroom, he writes Urdu poetry inspired by human emotions, life's experiences, meaningful reflections and relationships. An amateur photographer, Faisal is passionate about capturing moments that often go unnoticed by the naked eye.
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