Covid-19: Maharashtra prepares to unlock based on positivity rate, what to know

In a first-of-its-kind five-level unlock plan, state government prepares to open up its 36 districts based on test positivity rate and occupancy of oxygen beds; key cities to function with some restrictions

Following a goof-up over announcing the lifting of lockdown in 18 districts on Thursday, the state government came out with an official declaration on Friday midnight. Based on the test positivity rate (TPR) and occupancy of oxygenated beds, the five-level unlocking will begin from Monday onwards.

Places across Maharashtra have been classified into five categories. Cities and districts with less than 5 per cent positivity and less than 25 per cent occupancy of oxygenated beds will come under Level 1 and have the least restrictions. The “Level 5” places will have near lockdown-like curbs.

Currently, 10 out of 36 districts have been classified under Level 1 and will have malls, theatres, all shops, restaurants, and other economic and recreational activities, including gyms and salons, resume normal operations. 

The midnight announcement through a notification signed by Chief Secretary Sitaram Kunte pulled curtains on a drama that unfolded on Thursday after minister in-charge of relief and rehabilitation, Vijay Wadettiwar, held a press conference to share unlocking details with the media. He announced that half of Maharashtra (18 districts) would have no curbs. Immediately after his declaration, an upset CM Uddhav Thackeray intervened, and asked the publicity department to issue a statement, saying that no such decision was taken, and whenever taken, it would be announced officially. Wadettiwar later clarified that he forgot to mention that the five-level unlock plan, was given in-principle approval and the final decision would be announced by the CM.

1 Cities and districts with less than 5 per cent TPR and less than 25 per cent occupancy of oxygenated beds
Districts: Ahmednagar, Chandrapur, Dhule, Gondia, Jalgaon, Jalna, Latur, Nagpur, Nanded and Yavatmal
Allowed:  Shops and malls as per pre-lockdown timings. Restaurants, local trains, parks private and government offices, sports activities, shooting, marriages, funerals, society meetings, elections, construction, agriculture, e-commerce, gyms, salons, spas, buses, cargo movement, inter-district transport (except if passing through containment zones) and manufacturing.

Also Read: New Maharashtra unlock rules: What’s allowed, what’s not

2 With less than 5 per cent positivity and oxygenated bed occupancy between 25 and 40 per cent
Districts: Hingoli and Nandurbar
Allowed: Attendance in closed places and group movements with restrictions. Regular timings for essential and non-essential shops; parks, private and government offices can operate like pre-lockdown times.  Malls, theatres, single-screens and restaurants to operate at 50 per cent dining capacity. Trains for specified categories. Indoor games from 5 am to 9 pm; outdoor games for the entire day. Film shootings at regular timings with 50 per cent cap on gatherings. No cap on funerals. Society meetings and elections allowed at 50 per cent capacity. Regular timing for construction, agriculture, e-commerce. Gyms, salons at 50 per cent capacity with prior appointments. Seamless cargo movement. No standing passengers in city buses. Inter-district travel, manufacturing in full scale.

3 With TPR between 5 and 10 per cent and oxygenated bed occupancy more than 40 per cent
Districts: Mumbai city and suburbs, Thane, Akola, Amravati, Aurangabad, Beed, Bhandara, Gadchiroli, Nashik, Osmanabad, Palghar, Parbhani, Solapur, Wardha, and Washim
Restrictions: No movement post 5 pm; shops 7 am to 4 pm; malls, theatres, and single-screens will remain closed. Restaurants at 50 per cent capacity till 4 pm and thereafter, for deliveries. Local trains only for essential services staff. Public places and parks open from 5 am to 9 pm. Private offices open on all days till 4 pm. Government office attendance at 50 per cent. Social gatherings at 50 per cent attendance; marriages up to 50 persons; funerals a maximum of 20 people. 

4 With TPR 10 and 20 per cent and oxygenated bed occupancy more than 60 per cent
Districts: Buldhana, Kolhapur, Pune, Raigad, Ratnagiri, Sangli, Satara and Sindhudurg
Restrictions: No movement post 5 pm all days, including weekends; Essential shops open till 4 pm, non-essentials closed. Malls, theatres, single-screens and auditoriums not allowed. Only takeaways at restaurants. Local trains only for the essential services category. Public places and parks operation window is between 5 am and 9 pm. No public movement on weekends. Social gatherings not allowed; marriage attendance only 25 people and 20 people for funerals. E-commerce deliveries of essentials allowed. 

5 TPR more than 20 per cent and having oxygenated bed occupancy of more than 75 per cent
Restrictions: Only essential shops, barring pharmacies, till 4 pm. Non-essential shops, theatres and malls shut. Restaurants only for deliveries. Trains open only for medical personnel. Public parks shut; private offices only for the exempted categories and government offices at 15 per cent attendance.

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