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Maharashtra’s Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on March 20 has announced that from Friday midnight all workplaces will remain closed till March 31. This is applicable in Mumbai, MMR Region, Pune, Pimpri Chinchwad and Nagpur.
The Chief Minister has further said that Government offices will operate at 25 per cent attendance only.
Udhav's son Aaditya Thackeray tweeted this after the decision by the Chief Minister
https://twitter.com/AUThackeray/status/1240914317542715392?s=20
Earlier, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation had announced that all shops located in several localities of Mumbai will remain shut on alternate days indefinitely in order to regulate crowds on roads amid the coronavirus pandemic. However, all grocery and medical stores have been exempted from the order.
On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his public address requested for a ‘janta curfew’ on Sunday, March 22. He appealed to the citizens of India to maintain social distancing.
He further requested Indian companies to allow their employees to work from home.
Coronavirus has infected more than 2,45,000 people and killed more than 10,000 across the world.
As of March 20, the total number of coronavirus cases in India has climbed to 195 after over 35 new cases, highest in a single day, emerged from the various parts of the country. Maharashtra has had 48 positive cases of Coronavirus so far according to government data. India has recorded 5 deaths so far.
"There has been a drastic difference in the crowd in public places, however, we still need to do this for 15 days. We don't have any option but to have a social distancing. You may not like it, but we have no option for it," Maharashtra's CM said.
"Railways and buses in Mumbai, are the lifeline of this city, and the government cannot shut them because a lot of working class people travel. But if people don't understand then we will have to shut down railways and busses. For now, kirana stores, banks, and medical stores will remain open. This is not a holiday, this is by law," he added.
On the economic consequences of the shut down, he said, "The government is working on a possible solution for that too. My request to the employers is that please give the employees at least a basic wage. It is not their fault."
The number of COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra has reached 52, however, there are five who have recovered from the infection.
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