Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar on Saturday said that a weekend lockdown will not be imposed in the city for now, ANI reported.

Her comments came even as the Maharashtra government on Saturday imposed a new set of restrictions, including a night curfew, amid a surge in Covid-19 cases in the state. Even during the non-curfew hours of 5 am to 11 pm, more than five people have been barred from gathering in any public space.

On Saturday, Maharashtra recorded 41,434 new cases of coronavirus and 13 deaths due to the disease in the last 24 hours. Mumbai alone accounted for nearly half the cases, as 20,318 people tested positive for the virus. However, the daily caseload dipped marginally lower from Friday’s count of 20,971 infections.

Speaking to reporters, Pednekar said that despite the high number of cases, the severity of diseases among patients was not alarming. She pointed out that no patient has yet been admitted to the intensive care unit at the Bandra Kurla Complex Jumbo Covid-19 centre, the largest coronavirus treatment site in Mumbai. As many as 2,500 beds were available at the centre, Pednekar added.

Fresh restrictions in Maharashtra

While imposing a new set of restrictions which will be effective in Maharashtra from Monday, state Health Minister Rajesh Tope said that the government aimed at taking a “middle path” in its efforts to control crowding in public places, the Hindustan Times reported.

“We aim to control the movement of people as much as possible,” Tope said. “We want the businesses of people to continue, especially the daily wage earners.”

The new restrictions in Maharashtra are as follows:

  • Five or more people cannot gather between 5 am and 11 pm.
  • Citizens other than those employed with essential services, or are travelling for an emergency, will not be allowed on roads between 11 pm and 5 am.
  • Government and private offices have been recommended to not have more than 50% staff for which they have been asked to give flexible hours for employees. Offices can remain open for 24 hours working in shifts.
  • Only fully vaccinated employees can attend offices physically. Thermal scanners and hand sanitisers to be made available at all offices.
  • Schools and colleges will remain closed till February 15. However, activities required for students of Classes 10 and 12, administration and teachers can take place. Work prescribed by the government departments can also be done.
  • Swimming pools, gyms, spas, wellness centres and beauty salons will be closed.
  • Hair cutting salons will function at 50% capacity. They will have to be shut between 10 pm and 7 am.
  • Shopping malls and markets can function at a 50% capacity between 8 am and 10 pm. Management has to appoint marshals to ensure that the visitors are following Covid-19 norms. Only fully vaccinated people will be allowed on premises.
  • Restaurants and cinema halls can function at 50% capacity between 8 am and 10 pm.
  • Entertainment parks, zoos, museums, forts and other public places that require a ticket to be closed.
  • Not more than 50 guests will be allowed for marriage, social, political, religious and cultural events.
  • Funerals have a guest limit of 20.
  • Sport events to be postponed except for scheduled national and international competitions. No audience will be permitted and players and officials will have to follow the bio-bubble rules. They will also have to undergo RT-PCR tests every third day.
  • Double vaccination or a negative RT-PCR test not older than 72 hours is mandatory for domestic travellers.
  • Public transport is accessible only to fully vaccinated persons.
  • All competitive exams will take place according to government rules.