The Maharashtra Government, on the 14th of October, allowed metro services, domestic flights, inter state travel and business exhibition to function.
The developments came a day after clash between Uddhav Thackeray, the Chief Minister of Maharashtra and Governor of Maharashtra Bhagat Singh Koshyari.
From the 15th of October, metro and local trains, business-to-business exhibitions, public libraries, local shops and markets would function.
In addition, outside domestic passengers coming to Maharashtra either by flights or trains will not be stamped upon their arrival from October 15.
The Maha Vikas Aghadi-led Maharashtra Government is not following the Unlocking system issued by the Central Government, but its own unlocking pattern.
Unlike other Indian States, Maharashtra issued the Unlock system according to the discussion between the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP,) the Indian National Congress (INC) and the Shiv Sena.
The decision to unlock the State with a delay was taken in the wake of the outbreak of the Novel Coronavirus or COVID. Maharashtra is the worst COVID-19 hit State in India with over 2 lakh active cases and 15 lakhs positive cases till date.
While restaurants and bars were allowed in September in other States, Maharashtra allowed restaurants and bars to function from the 5th of October.
However, religious places, cinema halls, swimming pools are not yet open in the State.
The decision of not allowing reopening of religious places, resulting in a war of words between Bhagat Singh Koshyari and the Shiv Sena leaders.
Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari raised a question over Thackeray’s religious beliefs and asked whether he had become ‘secular’ that he is not allowing temples to reopen in the state.
On the 14th of October, after the Maharashtra Government did not allow religious places to open, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers, priests staged a protest in front of the Shirdi temple, demanding immediate reopening of all religious places of the state.
Allowed to function in Maharashtra:
1. Local trains, metro trains
2. Inter-state trains, road travel, domestic flights
3. Restaurants, bars
4. Local markets
5. Industries in Mumbai Metropolitan region
6. Libraries
7. Business-to-business exhibitions
Not allowed yet:
1. Religious places
2. Gyms
3. Swimming pools
4. Schools, colleges, educational institutions
5. Cinema halls.
Stay tuned for further updates.
