Maharashtra: Navi Mumbai, Thane to unlock at level 2 from tomorrow. What will open, what remains shut

As Maharashtra gears up for a five-level unlocking from under its 'Break the Chain' initiative to combat novel coronavirus cases in Maharashtra, the state issued a fresh notification for Navi Mumbai and Thane's unlocking process that will begin from tomorrow.

A notification issued on Sunday put Thane and Navi Mumbai civic areas in category 2 of Maharashtra government's five-level plan to ease coronavirus-induced restrictions from June 7 based on the weekly positivity rate and the occupancy of oxygen beds.

The notification, issued by Thane district collector Rajesh Narvekar, placed Kalyan Dombivali municipal limits in category 3.

Category 2 is for cities and districts where the positivity rate is five per cent and oxygen bed occupancy is 25 to 40 per cent, while category 3 comprises areas where the positivity rate is five per cent to 10 per cent and the oxygen bed occupancy is more than 40 per cent.

The Thane collector's notification said specific instructions pertaining to each area would be announced by the respective civic authorities.

With the addition of 621 fresh coronavirus positive cases, the infection count in Thane district of Maharashtra went up to 5,21,000, an official said on Sunday.

These new cases were reported on Saturday.

With the death of 37 more COVID-19 patients, the toll in the Thane district rose to 9,445, he said, adding the mortality rate is 1.81 per cent.

Meanwhile, restaurants, shops selling non- essential items and public places are are allowed to open from Monday in Mumbai which is categorised under level 3 of the 'unlock' plan of the Maharashtra government but malls, theatres and multiplexes will continue to remain shut.

As per the fresh guidelines issued by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Saturday, local trains will remain available only for specific categories.

In a notification issued on Friday night, the Maharashtra government had stated local trains will remain available for "medical, few essentials and women", but authorised the civic administrations to put additional restrictions they deem fit.

The reference of "women" was deleted by the BMC in its latest order which stated that entry in suburban trains will be restricted only for "medical and few essentials.

As per the state government's notification, municipal corporations and districts in Maharashtra with a positivity rate between 5 per cent and 10 per cent and occupancy of oxygen beds over 40 per cent are categorised under level 3.

As per the BMC order, shops selling essential products in Mumbai can remain open till 4 pm on all daysfrom June 7 while non-essential shops can operate till 4 pm on weekdays. Malls, theatres, and multiplexes will continue to remain shut.

Restaurants in Mumbai can function at 50 per cent capacity for dining till 4 pm only on weekdays. Parcel, home delivery and takeaway services will continue, it said.

Public places and open grounds in Mumbai can remain open from 5 am to 9 am every day. Private offices can function at 50 per cent capacity till 4 pm on working days, the order said.

The Maharashtra government had announced a five-level plan to relax the coronavirus-induced restrictions across the state, based on the parameters of the weekly COVID-19 case positivity rate and the occupancy of oxygen beds.

Mumbai recorded a positivity rate of 5.56 per cent and oxygen bed occupancy rate of 32.51 per cent for the May 28 to June 3 week.

The lockdown-like restrictions in Maharashtra were imposed in April this year when the second wave of the pandemic intensified.

Under the five-level unlockdown plan, each municipal area and district will be treated as a separate administrative unit.

The Level 1 category includes cities and districts which have a positivity rate of five per cent and oxygen bed occupancy of less than 25 per cent.

The criteria for the Level 2 category is the case positivity rate of five per cent and oxygen bed occupancy at25 to 40 per cent.

The parameters for the Level 4 category is the case positivity rate of 10 to 20 per cent and oxygen bed occupancy of more than 60 per cent.

In the fifth category, the positivity rate is more than 20 per cent and the oxygen bed capacity is more than 75 per cent.

The notification said that every Thursday,the state public health department will declare the number of oxygen beds and the positivity rate, based on which the disaster management authority will decide the level of an administrative unit.

Maharashtra on Friday reported 14,152 new COVID-19 cases and 289 deaths, taking the caseload to 58,05,565 and death toll to 98,771 , the health department said.

The state has, thus, reported fewer than 20,000 cases on the fifth consecutive day.

Recoveries exceeded new infections, as 20,852 patients were discharged from hospitals, pushing the number of recovered cases to 55,07,058.

The number of active cases fell below two lakh to stand at 1,96,894.

The recovery rate improved to 94.86 per cent from 94.73 per cent a day ago, but the fatality rate also increased to 1.7 per cent from 1.68 per cent.

As many as 2,56,769 people were tested for coronavirus during the day.