The ongoing COVID-19 restrictions will be completely lifted in 18 of the 36 districts from tomorrow (Friday, June 4), Maharashtra Minister Vijay Wadettiwar announced on Thursday.
Wadettiwar said the Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government has prepeared a 5-level unlock plan on the basis of positivity rate and status of occupancy of oxygen beds in the districts. Districts with the lowest positivity rate will have no restrictions, he added.
In the first phase, the districts where the COVID-19 positivity rate is 5 per cent and oxygen availability is within 25 per cent will unlock. These districts are Thane, Aurangabad, Latur, Nanded, Jalna, Parbhani, Buldhana, Nashik, Jalgaon, Dhule, Nagpur, Bhandara, Gadchiroli, Chandrapur, Gondia, Wardha, Washim and Yavatmal.
What will reopen in these 18 districts?
1. Restaurants, malls
2. Gardens, walking tracks
3. Private, government offices will start with 100 per cent capacity
4. Theaters, shooting of films
5. Public events, wedding ceremonies with 100 per cent capacity
6. E-commerce
7. Gyms, salons
8. Buses can operate with 100 per cent capacity
9. Inter-district travel will be allowed
Will Mumbai locals resume?
No! The reopening of Mumbai is in the second phase. If the positivity rate reduces, the locals will start, said Wadettiwar.
"For the reopening, the weekly positivity rate and availability of oxygen beds is the criteria and it is being scrutinized by all administrative units and districts. This will be implemented after a thorough review. The state government has said that information regarding will be given through an official decision," a government notification said.
Meanwhile, Wadettiwar also announced the cancellation of Class 12 HSC board examinations in view of the ongoing second wave of COVID-19. The Maharashtra government has already announced the cancellation of the Class 10 SSC board exams, citing the present coronavirus pandemic and had decided to promote students on the basis of their performance in Classes 9 and 10
