COVID-19: Curbs ineffective, Maharashtra still mulling total lockdown

People crowd a vegetable market at Akurli Road, Kandivli East, last week. Pic/Satej Shinde

Relief and rehabilitation minister Vijay Wadettiwar said on Monday that the government is mulling a total lockdown because the curfew and other harsh restrictions have not helped much in achieving the desired goal of breaking the chain of COVID-19 infection. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will decide on it in a couple of days, the minister added.

Rajesh Tope, health minister

We haven't imposed a lockdown, but it is a curfew and some harsh restrictions. The situation now is that people like traders, retailers and businessmen, who opposed the lockdown earlier, are now demanding a complete lockdown. We have conveyed the public sentiment to the CM, who will decide on it in a couple of days," said Wadettiwar.

However, the total lockdown won't affect essential services, he said. "We will discuss the plan with all [stakeholders] before releasing it. We will also study Delhi's lockdown," he said, adding that the restrictions/lockdown could be extended beyond April 30, if need be. Health Minister Rajesh Tope said there was a need to regulate crowding at grocery shops and vegetable markets.

"Such establishments should be allowed a time window to operate, say between 7 am to 11 am. People who roam around for no reason or in the name of buying groceries should also be restrained. I think such decisions are coming up very soon," said Tope, after attending a meeting with deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar. Later in the day, Pawar's office said that it was decided in the meeting to restrict grocery shops' timings in the time frame. There was no word on vegetable shops though.

The state cabinet will be meeting on Tuesday to discuss the COVID-19 situation, the shortage of oxygen and medicines and the need for imposing a total lockdown.