Alarmed by the rising number of coronavirus cases in the twin-city, the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) has decided to resume its rigid containment exercise by imposing a complete lockdown from Wednesday, July 1 in an attempt to prevent the spread of the deadly virus.
The lockdown comes 24 days after the first phase of the unlock mode was announced by the state government under its Mission Begin Again programme on 6, June.
As per orders promulgated by newly appointed civic chief Dr. Vijay Rathod, the intensive lockdown will now remain in force till the midnight of July 10.
While groceries, supermarkets, chicken-mutton shops, vegetable, fish and fruit markets will continue to remain closed, medical stores can operate from 9 am to 5 pm.
Apart from hospitals and clinics, medical stores having licenses for 24 hour operation will continue to remain open as usual but in strict compliance with social distancing norms. However, home delivery of essentials has been allowed between 9 am and 11 pm.
Flour mills will operate as per the usual routine, even as milk booths can remain open only in the morning from 5 to 10 am.
“The lockdown is needed. However the implementation should be in a planned manner to ensure that none of the citizens are inconvenienced.” said legislator Geeta Jain.
“While implementing the lockdown, the administration should also tackle the key issue of the workforce which commutes in and out of the city.” said deputy mayor Hasmukh Gehlot.
The total number of COVID-19 cases registered by the MBMC has climbed to 3,165 out of which 2,427 cases have been registered in a month. There are 1,129 containment zones in the twin-city. The Thane (rural) police have also intensified patrolling to restrict unnecessary vehicular and pedestrian movement in the twin-city.
