Pune: Fully Vaccinated Persons Can Visit Malls, Restaurants Can Operate Till 10 PM; Know About Relaxations

Sports activities are also allowed in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad except for swimming. Temples will continue to remain closed.

Pune: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Sunday announced that shops in Pune city will be allowed to remain open till 8 pm from Monday and restaurants can operate with a 50 per cent capacity till 10 pm.

Recently, the Maharashtra government had permitted shops to function till 8 pm in 25 districts excluding Pune and ten others where level-3 curbs continue to be enforced in view of the COVID situation.

Restaurant owners, traders and mall workers associations have been demanding for the timings of their establishments to be extended.

Malls are also allowed to function in Pune and neighbouring Pimpri Chinchwad township till 8 pm but only citizens who have received both the doses of COVID-19 vaccines will be allowed entry, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said.

"Considering the constant positivity rate at 3.3 per cent in Pune and at 3.5 per cent in Pimpri Chinchwad, we are relaxing some norms for business. From Monday, all shops are allowed to open till 8 pm. However, shop owners and staff must wear masks and get themselves fully vaccinated. Restaurants are also allowed to operate with a 50 per cent capacity till 10 pm. Pune rural areas will continue to remain under the current level-3 restrictions owing to a high positivity rate," Pawar told reporters after attending a review meeting over the COVID situation.

Pawar who is also the guardian minister of the Pune district stated that the mall staff must get themselves fully vaccinated and should undergo tests once every fortnight. 

The Deputy CM appealed to traders to close all commercial establishments and markets in the limits of Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad civic areas, once a week on a day of their choice.

Public gardens can remain open in the morning and evening like they used to be before the pandemic.

Sports activities are also allowed in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad except for swimming. Temples will continue to remain closed, Pawar informed, adding that people need to strictly follow COVID-19 norms.

As per the district administration, a total of 65, 25, 580 citizens have been inoculated against COVID-19 so far in Pune.

(With Agency Inputs)