The administration of Maharashtra’s Thane district on Monday announced a lockdown in 16 coronavirus hotspots till the end of the month, amid a surge in infections, The Times of India reported. The authorities in Nashik also imposed new restrictions to combat the rising cases, according to PTI.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray held a meeting with district officials to discuss the findings of the teams sent by the Centre to the state to determine the reasons for the sharp increase in cases. An unidentified official from the team said at the meeting that coronavirus surge in Maharashtra was due to the violation of safety norms, as no major mutations had been detected there.

At the meeting, the district collectors of Thane suggested the imposition of localised restrictions, rather than a lockdown across the city.

Thane Deputy Municipal Commissioner Sandeep Malvi told The Times of India that all commercial establishments in the city will remain closed, expect for pharmacies, dairies and grocery stores. “A total lockdown cannot be imposed without the Centre’s permission, and recently in Amravati and other hotspots in Vidarbha, the authorities had imposed stringent curbs just short of a lockdown,” he added.

Meanwhile in Nashik, the authorities ordered all shops and establishments, except essential services, to remain closed from 7 pm to 7 am, PTI reported.

Also read: Covid-19: ‘Maharashtra’s situation alarming,’ says health minister; districts to decide on lockdowns

Schools, colleges and coaching classes in the city will be closed from March 10 till further orders. However, classes for students of grades 10 and 12 will continue in view of the approaching board examinations.

The Nashik administration also said that wedding functions will be allowed to take place till March 15, and no new permits will be granted for such events after that.

Maharashtra has been registering the highest daily infections among the states seeing a surge in coronavirus cases. Maharashtra recorded 8,744 new cases Monday, taking the overall tally to 22,28,471. The state’s toll rose to 52,500 as it recorded 22 deaths in the last 24 hours.

The situation in Mumbai is also worrying. The city has been reporting more than 1,000 cases for the last few days. Mumbai Guardian Minister Aslam indicated that a partial lockdown or night curfew may be imposed in the city if the cases continue to increase. “We may have to shut places like beaches and the Gateway of India where people gather in the evenings,” he added.