Maharashtra Extends Lockdown Till July 31 As Covid-19 Tally Breaches 1.64 Lakh-Mark

Earlier Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had said that the lockdown will not be lifted after 30 June, but the government will give some additional relaxations to the people.

(File Photo/ Getty)

Mumbai: On the backdrop significant rise in number of Coronavirus cases and deaths, Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra government has extended lockdown in the state till July 31. Issuing fresh guidelines, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government has called this phase of lockdown as 'Mission Begin Again' and stated that movement of non-essential activities must be restricted to neighbourhoods. "Concerned District Collector and Commissioners of the Municipal Corporations in the state may enforce certain measures and necessary restrictions in specified local areas on the permitted non-essential activities and movement of persons to control Coronavirus," Maharashtra government said in an official statement while announcing the extension of lockdown in the state. The government also clarified that during this extended lockdown period, movement of persons for the purposes of non-essential activities like shopping and the outdoor exercises, shall be restricted within the neighbourhood area. People will also have to follow all necessary prescribed mandatory precautions of wearing masks, social distancing and personal hygiene while moving out. Only those attending offices and emergencies will be allowed unrestricted movement, the government said. Outdoor movements will continue to be restricted for essential activities like buying food, vegetables, visits to markets, salons, barber shops, with a radius of 2 kms only. Night curfew for people and vehicles will be implemented strictly from 9 pm - 5 am, barring essential or medical requirements, besides all other norms like wearing masks in public, following physical distancing rules at all places, etc. Thackeray had on Sunday indicated that the ongoing lockdown restrictions will go beyond June 30, though the Unlockdown process is being gradually implemented to put the economy back on track. While addressing the people of Maharashtra, the Shiv Sena boss said: "Don't think that the lockdown restrictions will cease after June 30...The threat of Covid-19 still looms over the state and all precautions need to be taken," With over 1.64 lakh cases of novel Coronavirus, Maharashtra still stands to be the worst-hit state in the country followed by Delhi and Tamil Nadu. According to Health Ministry data, Maharashtra has reported the highest number of cases at 1,64,626, followed by Delhi at 83,077, Tamil Nadu at 82,275, Gujarat at 31,320, Uttar Pradesh at 22,147, West Bengal at 17,283 and Rajasthan at 17,271. Of the total 16,475 deaths reported so far, Maharashtra tops the tally with 7,429 deaths. Of the total 156 fatalities declared Sunday, Mumbai alone notched 87 deaths - pulling up the city's death toll from 4,284 to 4,371 now, while the number of Covid-19 positive patients here shot up by 1,287 cases to touch 75,539. Thane - with 34,257 cases and 845 fatalities - has emerged as the second worst-hit district after Mumbai in the state. On the positive side, a total of 2,330 fully cured patients returned home Sunday, taking the number of those discharged to 86,575 now - relatively higher than the 70,607 ‘active cases' currently.