Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope said on Tuesday that the decision to give relaxation in local trains has been put on hold and the final decision will be taken by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray as the state relaxes some COVID-19 restrictions.
“We are saying no, but the decision of relaxation in local trains has been put on hold. There are many aspects to consider before taking the call. The CM will discuss this further,” Tope said.
Last month, Maharashtra state cabinet minister Aslam Shaikh said a decision on allowing those who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to travel unrestricted in Mumbai local trains would be taken soon. On April 15, local train services were suspended for the general public for the second time since March 2020 following a rise in the number of coronavirus cases in the city.
The Bombay High Court on Monday asked the Maharashtra government why people who have received both the doses of the COVID-19 vaccine cannot be allowed to travel by local trains in Mumbai. A bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Dutta and Justice GS Kulkarni asked, “If citizens were expected to stay inside their homes, then what was the purpose of even taking both doses of the vaccine.”
Meanwhile, Tope said that districts with high growth rate and COVID positivity rate have been strictly instructed to follow COVID-appropriate behaviour. “In the flood-affected areas, we have asked the officials to strictly implement the COVID protocol. If we stick to this, increase testing, the numbers may come down,” he said.
The Maharashtra government on Monday announced new guidelines for easing the lockdown in districts where the COVID-19 positivity rate is low. Thackeray had said earlier in the day that allowing all sections of the society in Mumbai local trains would be difficult “in the first phase” as restrictions were being eased gradually.
Speaking to reporters in Sangli, about 230 km from Pune, Thackeray appealed for cooperation from the people of areas where it was not possible to relax the norms at present due to the caseload. He said the COVID-19 situation in all such districts, including Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur, Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg, is a “cause for concern”.
According to the order, the restriction on the movement of people will remain in force from 9 pm to 5 am.
The Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) clarified that the orders for easing COVID-19 restrictions are not for Mumbai city, Mumbai suburbs and Thane. It also said that there are 11 other districts where the relaxation will not be applicable – Kolhapur, Pune, Sangli, Satara, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Solapur, Ahmednagar, Beed, Raigad and Palghar. The BMC later in the evening issued an order for Mumbai, stating that malls in the city would remain closed, while restaurants would remain open daily till 4 pm.
read all Breaking Newshandjob breaking news And coronavirus news Here
.