Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has put the state under curfew to ensure compliance with lockdown restrictions.
The state issued an order today stating that lockdown in the entire state of Maharashtra will take place with immediate effect till March 31, 2020.
All state borders will be sealed other than for movement of essential and perishable commodities.
All public transport services, including the inter-city MSRTC buses and Metro will not be permitted to function. Taxis will not have more than two people besides driver and auto-rickshaws will not have more than one passenger besides driver.
Transport intended for medical or emergency however will be allowed. Private vehicles will only be allowed to move if it is intended for procuring essential commodities and health services.
Every person who is required to home quarantine will strictly do so and penal action will be initiated against those who fail to comply. Congregation of more than five people is prohibited. All commercial establishments, factories, offices, workshops and godowns will remain closed. Pharmaceuticals and APIs, food and dairy manufacturing and processing units are excluded from the order.
Banks, ATMs, print and electronic media, telecom, postal, internet services, supply chains, E-commerce, sale of food items, veterinary establishments, restaurant delivery and take away services, hospitals, pharmacies, petrol pumps, LPG services, will remain open.
Govt offices have been directed to function with minimum staff and maintain sanitation on the premises.
The novel coronavirus or COVID-19, pandemic has spread across at least 170 countries. There have been at least 415 reported cases of novel coronavirus in India. The Union Health Ministry has said that 24 people have recovered so far, but seven have died. Many states have imposed Section 144 starting today.
The Centre and state governments have decided to completely shutdown 75 districts across the country where coronavirus cases have been reported, officials said on Sunday.
The decisions have been taken at a high-level meeting attended by chief secretaries of all states and the cabinet secretary and the principal secretary to the prime min view of the need to contain the spread of the deadly COVID-19, it was agreed that there was an urgent need to extend the restrictions on the movement of non-essential passenger transport, including interstate transport buses till March 31, a Union Home Ministry official said.
