Maharashtra Unlock 5.0: Government opens restaurant and bars, but schools and cinema halls to remain closed

• The Maharashtra government allowed restaurants, bars, and hotels to open with restricted capacity.
  
• However, under the new guidelines, schools and cinema halls shall remain closed.
  
• Maharashtra is the worst COVDI-19 hit state in India with 2,60,789 active cases as of October 1.

The Uddhav Thackeray government in Maharashtra extended the COVID-19 lockdown till October 31 but has also resumed services across several sectors including hotels, restaurants and bars from October 5 with restricted capacity.

Maharashtra is the worst COVDI-19 hit state in India with 2,60,789 active cases as of October 1. So far, over 36,000 people have succumbed to coronavirus in Maharashtra.

Maharashtra Unlock 5.0: What’s open

• All the trains originating and ending the journey within the state will be restarted with immediate effect subject to health protocols for COVID-19, the latest guidelines said.
• Hotels, food courts, restaurants and bars can operate from October 5 with capacity not exceeding 50% or as prescribed by local authorities. A separate Standard Operating Procedure will be issued by the tourism department for precautions to be taken while operating these establishments
• All industrial and manufacturing units producing non- essential items will be allowed to operate in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).
• The Railways will increase the frequency of local trains in the MMR. Local trains in Pune region will restart with protocols and procedures adopted in the MMR.
• Dabbawalas of tiffin carriers in MMR will be allowed to travel by local trains after procuring QR code passes from the Mumbai police commissioner's office.
• There shall be free movement of oxygen-carrying vehicles within and out of the state without any restrictions of time.
  

Maharashtra Unlock 5.0: What’s prohibited

• Schools, colleges and other educational and coaching institutions will remain closed.
• Cinema halls, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres in malls and market places, auditoriums, assembly halls will continue to remain closed.
• Social, political, sports, entertainment, academic, cultural and religious events and other large congregations will remain prohibited.
• International Air travel of passengers to remain prohibited, except as permitted by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
• Metro rails to remain closed.

SEE ALSO: Unlock 5.0: International flights to remain suspended till October 31