Unlock 5: Maharashtra allows metro, business exhibitions, weekly markets from October 15

There will be no quarantine stamping of domestic passengers coming to Maharashtra either by flights or trains.

A day after a bitter war of words broke out between Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari over the reopening of the religious places in the state, the Maharashtra government allowed metro to resume operations in a graded manner from October 15. Business-to-business exhibitions will also be allowed in the state from Thursday. With necessary Covid-19 precautions, government and public libraries will be allowed to function. Shops and markets will remain open from 9am to 9pm. Local weekly markets, including that of animals, will be allowed from tomorrow. However, no decision on temples has been taken yet.

Cinema halls across the country are gearing up to reopen from October 15. However, cinema halls in Maharashtra have not yet got the nod from the state government.(PTI)

Outside domestic passengers coming to Maharashtra either by flights or trains will not be stamped upon their arrival from October 15.

The Maha Vikas Aghadi-led Maharashtra government is following its own unlocking pattern as the state has the highest number of Covid-19 cases. Long after restaurants were open in other states, Maharashtra allowed restaurants and bars to function from October 5. Religious places, cinema halls, swimming pools are not yet open in the state. However, Mumbai local trains are on track and with increased capacity.

Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari raised question over Thackeray’s religious beliefs and asked whether he had become ‘secular’ that he is not allowing temples to reopen in the state. On Wednesday, BJP workers, priests staged a protest in front of the Shirdi temple, demanding immediate reopening of all religious places of the state.

Allowed to function in Maharashtra

1. Local trains, metro trains

2. Inter-state trains, road travel, domestic flights

3. Restaurants, bars

4. Local markets

5. Industries in Mumbai Metropolitan region

6. Libraries

7. Business-to-business exhibitions

Not allowed yet

1. Religious places

2. Gyms

3. Swimming pools

4. Schools, colleges, educational institutions

5. Cinema halls.