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Uddhav Thackeray warns of hard lockdown if restrictions not honoured
Uddhav Thackeray has expressed concerns over violations of restrictions that could lead to further spread of the coronavirus.
Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray says his government has been insisting with the centre for the resumption of local train services to facilitate commute of personnel involved in the delivery of essential and emergency work. He also warned that lockdown could be clamped again in the state if the residents failed to honour the current level of restrictions.
“We have been demanding for the resumption of the local rail services from the Centre. The hospital staff and other workforce engaged in essential and emergency services are finding it difficult to commute from far off areas to Mumbai. Some of them are not even able to report to the duty. The resumption of the locals is very important for the ease of this workforce,” Thackeray said.
CM said he had first raised the issue of the resumption of suburban rail services with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a video conference about a month ago.
Thackeray also served a warning to people in the state to follow the restrictions put in place to check the rise of coronavirus disease failing which the state may be forced to clamp a hard lockdown to contain the virus which has already infected 90,787 people in the state, which is the highest among all Indian states.
Earlier according to data released by Maharashtra Police, a total of 124,369 cases have been registered in the state under Section 188 of Indian Penal Code since March 22 for violation of coronavirus lockdown norms. Of these, about 846 accused were arrested in cases of assault on policemen, according to news agency ANI.
Thackeray said that though relaxations were important for the revival of the economy, the government may be compelled to withdraw them if the norms are not followed.
Also Read: ‘Over one lakh booked for violating Covid-19 lockdown norms in Maharashtra
“The lockdown has been extended till June 30 with the relaxations rolled out recently. We were however shocked with the crowding witnessed at some places after the first phase of relaxations under Mission Begin Again came into effect. People of Maharashtra have been cooperating well with the state government, but any type of violation of restrictions will force us to impose the lockdown again,” Thackeray said.
