Maharashtra may reopen Malls, Multiplexes, Restaurants at 50% capacity

As the State of Maharashtra notices a decline in Covid 19 cases the government looks forward to reopening malls, multiplexes, and restaurants at 50% capacity with the shops and establishments will be getting relief of extended hours of operations. On Thursday, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray chaired a meeting with senior health department officials and state Covid 19 task force members to discuss easing the current curbs in 25 districts which includes Mumbai where the positivity and growth rates are low. The Health Minister of Maharashtra Rajesh Tope stated that in the coming days the Government of Maharashtra will soon issue an official order on the partial lifting of curbs. The discussion is yet to be done with the railway authorities on permitting the general public on suburban local trains in Mumbai. 

 

The health minister further stated that the discussion which was done on easing the curbs in the state was positive. The demand for permitting the general public on suburban local trains has been getting much steam for some weeks now. The demand for allowing people who have taken both doses of the Covid 19 vaccine in the suburban local trains is rising, with this, the Government of Maharashtra is looking forward to opening the train service for more categories. There are problems faced by the authorities of checking commuter’s vaccination certificates.  

 

Health Minister Rajesh Tope stated that “The views which we are getting are different with regards to the local trains, as some state that it should not be permitted as the third wave is expected to hit the state while some state that it should be permitted as due to shut in local trains there is overcrowding in buses. With this, our goal that transmission does not rise is being defeated. If we permit those who have taken both the doses of vaccine in the local trains they will have to be checked and it will require a proper mechanism so these challenges are to be discussed with the railway authorities and then a decision will be made by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.”