Thane, June 7: Scenes of crowded markets and busy streets were aplenty across the Mumbai suburbs after Maharashtra government ordered gradual unlocking of the city.
Shopkeepers and hoteliers finally felt respite after two months under lockdown. While shops in Kalyan-Dombivli were open till 4pm. There was confusion with police and shopkeepers in many parts of the Thane city over timing, which was 9 pm as per the guidelines for level 2 category.
On Sunday, the notification issued by Rajesh Narvekar, Collector, Thane district placed Thane Municipal Corporation on level 2 and Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation on level 3. As per the notification specific instructions were announced by the TMC and KDMC on Sunday, which started to be implemented on Monday.
Mitesh Shah, President of Naupada Vyapari Mandal, who owns an electronic gadgets shop says, “Many of them started the shops and all was well till 4pm, after which the confusion started. The policemen in different parts of the city came up to close the shops. But shopkeepers show them the guidelines related to level 2 category which shows timing till 9 pm.
“They showed us the timing of Thane district, which is at level 3 and has the timing to shut by 4pm. But Thane and Navi Mumbai city are at level 2 and it should be open till 9 pm as per the guidelines.
Accordingly, the confusion was made clear to them and most of the shops were open till 9 pm," he said.
He said most of the time there is a confusion over the timing and category, which is clear after the municipal authorities stepped in. "The local municipal authorities and police should hold meetings after guidelines are imposed or the city is unlocked," added Shah.
Sandeep Malvi, public relation officer and deputy municipal commissioner of TMC said, "We issued notification as per the guidelines for unlocking the city with level 2 categories," he added.
While, malls, theatres and hotels were allowed with 50 percent capacity in Thane. In Kalyan-Dombivli, hotels were allowed with 50 percent capacity and malls and theatres were closed.
However, traveling in local trains was restricted for common people in both the cities. Garden's in Thane city were open as per regular timing, in Kalyan-Dombivli it was allowed from 5 am to 9 pm.
The guideline explains how 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 percent and the oxygen bed occupancy is more than 40 per cent.
