Maharashtra tightens curbs, grocery shops to remain open from 7am to 11am

The Maharashtra government on Tuesday tightened curbs in the state by restricting operational hours of grocery shops. The decision comes a week after the government announced stringent measures to curb the rise in Covid-19 cases across the state.

On April 13, chief minister Uddhav Thackeray announced curfew and strict curbs, which came into effect from April 14, but the state has continued to record between 50,000 and 60,000 fresh cases daily.

Shops selling groceries, vegetable, fruit, dairy products, and all types of food, including meat and poultry, will be open between 7am and 11am, an order by the state government said. The new curbs will be effective from Tuesday itself.

The order added that home delivery from said shops may be allowed between 7am and 8pm . These timings, however, may be changed by the local authority. Shops related to agricultural implements and farm produce, pet food shops, shops related to materials for impending rainy season for individuals as well as for organisations also have the same restrictions, it said.

Earlier, these shops were open even as movement to them was unrestricted. State officials and minister said the current degree of restrictions did now show desired results prompting the government to tighten the restrictions.