Maharashtra govt relaxes Covid restrictions in few districts, allows shops, cinema halls to operate

Amid a decline in new coronavirus cases, the Maharashtra government on Thursday relaxed Covid-related restrictions in Mumbai and 24 other districts of the state, announced Health Minister Rajesh Tope.

In districts where the Covid-19 positivity rate is lower, relaxation will be given in the functioning of shops, theaters, cinema halls and gyms, Tope said.

The minister said that hotels and shops timings will increase till 8-9 pm. However, they need to ensure that the staff is fully vaccinated,

They'll be allowed to function with 50% capacity, Tope added.

Places will be open on Saturdays with limitations, but Sunday restrictions will continue. Tope said that the detailed guidelines will be available in the next two to three days.

However, restrictions will continue for wedding functions and any such gatherings. "We would discourage using an air-conditioned hall," the Maharashtra Health Minister added.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray chaired a meeting via video conference today to assess the current coronavirus situation across the state.

The state, which is witnessing a decline in active cases of coronavirus, registered 6,857 infections on Wednesday. There are 85,913 active cases in the state currently.