The Maharashtra government will tighten the restrictions imposed to curb Covid-19 transmission from 8 pm onwards on April 22, and the stipulations will remain in effect till 7 am on May 1. However, the State government has not announced a complete lockdown even as most of the Ministers in the State cabinet had pushed the demand.

New guidelines

State Chief Secretary Sitaram Kunte issued these new guidelines late Wednesday night. According to the new guidelines, all government offices, including the State, Central and local government offices, will operate only with 15 per cent attendance except for emergency services directly connected to the management of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Local trains and buses will continue to ply, but only government and medical personnel and people needing medical treatment or specially-abled person will be allowed to use public transport.

State or local government-owned public buses shall ply at 50 per cent of capacity.

In Mantralaya and central government offices in Mumbai Metropolitan Region, the Head of Department can decide for higher attendance after seeking permission for the same from the CEO of the State Disaster Management Authority.

All other offices will function only with 15 per cent of their total attendance or five people, whichever is more.

Private passenger transport excluding buses can ply only for emergency or essential services or valid reasons. Inter-district or inter-city travel is allowed only if required for an emergency. Anyone flouting the order will be fined ₹10,000.

Inter-city or inter-district travel by private busses shall be subject to controls. All passengers shall be stamped on the hand for 14 days home quarantine at the stoppages where passengers are alighting. Private buses can ply with 50 per cent of seating capacity.

The marriage ceremony may be conducted only as a single event in a single hall not exceeding two hours, with a maximum total of 25 persons attending the ceremony. Any family flaunting the rule will be fined ₹50,000 and the location where rules are defied will be closed till the promulgation of Covid -19 as a disaster remains in force.

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