On Friday, the lockdown enforced due to the novel coronavirus pandemic has been extended for two more weeks from May 4, said the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
The MHA said that the next phase of lockdown, will permit "considerable relaxations" when it came to the districts that fall in the Green and Orange zones.
However, irrespective of the zone, travel by air, rail, metro and inter-state movement by road; running of schools, colleges, and other educational and training/ coaching institutions; hospitality services, including hotels and restaurants; places of large public gatherings, such as cinema halls, malls, gymnasiums, sports complexes etc; social, political, cultural and other kinds of gatherings; and, religious places/ places of worship for public will not be allowed.
Meanwhile, in the new guidelines, as reported by ANI, the MHA has allowed the opening the liquor stores and paan shops but only in Green Zones. "Liquor stores and paan shops will be allowed to function in green zones while ensuring minimum six feet distance (2 gaz ki doori) from each other and ensuring that not more 5 persons are present at one time at the shop," said MHA.
However, the cities of Mumbai, Pune, Thane and Navi Mumbai fall under the Red Zone. Hence, the wine shops won't open in these cities.
Maha govt sources told FPJ, "Liquor sale to be allowed in 16 orange and 6 green zones not in 14 red zones." "State govt will come out with its set of norms to be applicable after May 4," the source added.
Earlier, MHA had banned substances like gutka, tobacco and alcohol during the lockdown period. "There is also no order to open liquor shops," Joint Secretary (Home Affairs) Punya Salila Srivastava had said on April 25.
Meanwhile, the total number of COVID-19 positive cases in India rose to 35,365 including 9,064 cured/discharged and 1152 deaths, said Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Well, Maharashtra government will come out with set of guidelines by Sunday evening or Monday on reopening of private offices and staff presence, use of private vehicles, reopening of liquor shops and sale and types of other activities to be allowed in 14 red, 16 orange and 6 green zones.
Full list of Red, Orange, Green Zones in Maharashtra:
Red Zone: Mumbai, Pune, Thane, Nashik, Palghar, Nagpur, Solapur, Yavatmal, Aurangabad, Satara, Dhule, Akola, Jalgaon and Mumbai Suburban.
Orange Zone: Raigad, Ahmednagar, Amravati, Buldhana, Nandurbar, Kolhapur, Hingoli, Ratnagiri, Jalna, Nanded, Chandrapur, Parbhani, Sangli, Latur, Bhandara and Beed.
Green Zone: Osmanabad, Washim, Sindhudurg, Gondia, Gadchiroli and Wardha.
